Stephen Mulhern has said Saturday Night Takeaway co-star Ant McPartlin is “back on the top of his game” after taking a year off following a drink-driving conviction.
Mulhern has worked with McPartlin and co-host Declan Donnelly on and off since 2002, working on both Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and Britain’s Got More Talent, the spin-off show to the main contest.
Last year, McPartlin pleaded was banned from driving for 20 months and fined £86,000 for drink driving.
He went through rehabilitation for prescription drug and alcohol issues and took a year out from his presenting duties.
Ant and Dec – In pictures
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015
ITV
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly AKA PJ and Duncan with their hit single ‘Let’s get ready to rumble
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Anthony McPartlin, Cat Deeley and Declan Donnelly on SM:TV in 2000
Rex
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PJ and Duncan (Ant and Dec) in Byker Grove
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in theri breakthrough programme Byker Grove
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly star in Byker Grove in 2000
BBC
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host SM:TV Live in 2000
Rex Features
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with Cat Deeley presenting Party in the Park
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host ‘Friends Like These’ in 2000
BBC
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly hosts of The Brit Awards in 2001
ITV
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Pop Idol presenters Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly celebrate with Will Young after he won the inaugural series in 2002
PA
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Pop Idol judges Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman, Nicki Chapman and Neil Fox pose with show hosts Ant and Dec in 2003
/PA
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway in 2003
ITV
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in disguise present Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway in 2003
ITV
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Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly for Most Popular Entertainment Programme for Saturday Night Takeaway with Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, at the 10th Anniversary National Television Awards 2004
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly provide the voices behind CITV’s engaging pre-school animation series Engie Benjy – Dec is the voice
ITV
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Spitting Image puppets mimic Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2006
PA
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with Britain;ls Got Talent winner Paul Potts in 2007
Rex Features
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly laugh backstage at Britain’s Got Talent in 2007
ITV
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Red Or Black with Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2011
ITV
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Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly at House Festival, Chiswick House & Gardens in 2012
Getty Images
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly hosts for ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!
ITV
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Anthony McPartlin (L) and Declan Donnelly, winners of Best Entertainment Programme for “Ant & Dec Saturday Night Takeaway”, pose in the winners room at the House of Fraser British Academy Television Awards at Theatre Royal in 2015
Dave Benett
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George Shelley takes part in his final trial, watched by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2015
Rex
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Kim Kardashian West, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly attend the BRIT Awards 2015
Dave Benett
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway in 2016
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Ant vs Dec in Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
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Britain’s Got Talent presenters Anthony McPartlin, left, and Declan Donnelly arrive for the Blackpool auditions for ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ at The Opera House in 2017
Getty Images
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Ant and Dec on stage in Britain’s Got Talent
ITV
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Ant and Dec arrive at Buckingham Palace, London, where the pair will be awarded OBE’s by the Prince of Wales at an Investiture ceremony in 2017
PA
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway: The Missing Crown Jewels (Part 3) with Michael Sheen in 2017
ITV
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Ant and Dec and their wives Lisa Armstrong and Ali Astall arrive at Buckingham Palace, London, where the pair will be awarded OBE’s by the Prince of Wales at an Investiture ceremony in 2017
PA
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Ant and Dec in the press room with the award for Best Challenge Show ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here’ at the National Television Awards 2017
PA
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Ant McPartlin (left to right), Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, David Walliams and Declan Donnelly attending the Britain’s Got Talent Photocall at the Opera House, Church Street, Blackpool in January 2018
PA
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Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
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Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly on ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ in 2017
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Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
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Britain’s Got Talent with Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly
ITV
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Britain’s Got Talent with Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly
ITV
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly on Britain’s Got Talent in 2019
Syco / Thames
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Presenters Anthony McPartli and Declan Donnelly at a photo call for Britain’s Got Talent at the London Palladium in 2019
PA
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with Colin Thackery on Britain’s Got Talent TV Show, Series 13 in 2019
Dymond/Thames/Syco/REX
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly attend the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards at The Royal Festival Hall
Dave Benett
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015
ITV
2/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly AKA PJ and Duncan with their hit single ‘Let’s get ready to rumble
3/45
Anthony McPartlin, Cat Deeley and Declan Donnelly on SM:TV in 2000
Rex
4/45
PJ and Duncan (Ant and Dec) in Byker Grove
5/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in theri breakthrough programme Byker Grove
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly star in Byker Grove in 2000
BBC
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host SM:TV Live in 2000
Rex Features
8/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with Cat Deeley presenting Party in the Park
9/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host ‘Friends Like These’ in 2000
BBC
10/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly hosts of The Brit Awards in 2001
ITV
11/45
Pop Idol presenters Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly celebrate with Will Young after he won the inaugural series in 2002
PA
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Pop Idol judges Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman, Nicki Chapman and Neil Fox pose with show hosts Ant and Dec in 2003
/PA
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway in 2003
ITV
14/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in disguise present Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway in 2003
ITV
15/45
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly for Most Popular Entertainment Programme for Saturday Night Takeaway with Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, at the 10th Anniversary National Television Awards 2004
16/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
17/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly provide the voices behind CITV’s engaging pre-school animation series Engie Benjy – Dec is the voice
ITV
18/45
Spitting Image puppets mimic Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2006
PA
19/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with Britain;ls Got Talent winner Paul Potts in 2007
Rex Features
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly laugh backstage at Britain’s Got Talent in 2007
ITV
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Red Or Black with Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2011
ITV
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Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly at House Festival, Chiswick House & Gardens in 2012
Getty Images
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly hosts for ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!
ITV
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Anthony McPartlin (L) and Declan Donnelly, winners of Best Entertainment Programme for “Ant & Dec Saturday Night Takeaway”, pose in the winners room at the House of Fraser British Academy Television Awards at Theatre Royal in 2015
Dave Benett
25/45
George Shelley takes part in his final trial, watched by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2015
Rex
26/45
Kim Kardashian West, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly attend the BRIT Awards 2015
Dave Benett
27/45
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway in 2016
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Ant vs Dec in Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
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Britain’s Got Talent presenters Anthony McPartlin, left, and Declan Donnelly arrive for the Blackpool auditions for ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ at The Opera House in 2017
Getty Images
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Ant and Dec on stage in Britain’s Got Talent
ITV
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Ant and Dec arrive at Buckingham Palace, London, where the pair will be awarded OBE’s by the Prince of Wales at an Investiture ceremony in 2017
PA
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway: The Missing Crown Jewels (Part 3) with Michael Sheen in 2017
ITV
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Ant and Dec and their wives Lisa Armstrong and Ali Astall arrive at Buckingham Palace, London, where the pair will be awarded OBE’s by the Prince of Wales at an Investiture ceremony in 2017
PA
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Ant and Dec in the press room with the award for Best Challenge Show ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here’ at the National Television Awards 2017
PA
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Ant McPartlin (left to right), Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, David Walliams and Declan Donnelly attending the Britain’s Got Talent Photocall at the Opera House, Church Street, Blackpool in January 2018
PA
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Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
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Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly on ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’ in 2017
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Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
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Britain’s Got Talent with Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly
ITV
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Britain’s Got Talent with Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly
ITV
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly on Britain’s Got Talent in 2019
Syco / Thames
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Presenters Anthony McPartli and Declan Donnelly at a photo call for Britain’s Got Talent at the London Palladium in 2019
PA
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with Colin Thackery on Britain’s Got Talent TV Show, Series 13 in 2019
Dymond/Thames/Syco/REX
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly attend the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards at The Royal Festival Hall
Dave Benett
Speaking to Standard Online, Mulhern said the presenter was back to his former self.
“He is back on the top of his game. They just need to get back on Saturday Night Takeaway and then they will be totally sorted. Because they will be back with me.”
Mulhern is a judge for this year’s Virgin Media’s Christmas Stars competition, which offers primary schools across the country the chance to have their festive play recorded and played to Virgin TV customers this Christmas.
Speaking as he visited his primary school, St Francis’ Catholic Primary School in Stratford, Mulhern said: “I always loved playing music and drama. The great thing is I get to be a part of it. It is great to be able to give these kids a platform to perform.
“They get a chance to do something that they may not normally get to do.”
Ant and Dec will be back on our screens next month when I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! returns to ITV.
The duo are currently preparing to jet off to Australia for the programme, while bosses put the finishing touches to the line-up.
The list of stars taking part will not be revealed until just days before the reality series starts but an eclectic range of names has been rumoured.
Find out more about Virgin Media’s Christmas Stars competition here.
