Stephen Mulhern looked furious after he was asked if he would get in a car with Ant McPartlin during a live radio interview.
Mulhern was discussing McPartlin’s return to TV on Britain’s Got Talent, which saw him reunited with Declan Donnelly on Saturday night for the first time in a year.
McPartlin took a temporary hiatus from work after pleading guilty to drink-driving when he crashed his Mini while over twice the drink-drive limit in March. He was banned from driving for 20 months and handed an £86,000 fine. He also spent time in a private rehab clinic.
Joining the Heart Breakfast team on Wednesday morning, Jamie Theakston asked Mulhern: “How’s he getting on? We saw him on Britain’s Got Talent.”
He replied: “He is brilliant. He’s on top form. It’s all good and all the family are back together, everyone is happy.”
Theakston then asked: “Would you accept a lift from him though?”
Mulhern’s face dropped at the awkward question before Theakston quickly cut to the break as his co-host Lucy Horobin berated him.
Mulhern, who fronts spin-off show Britain’s Got More Talent, simply said: “Wow.”
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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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
18/38
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
20/38
Red Or Black with Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2011
ITV
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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
23/38
George Shelley takes part in his final trial, watched by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2015
Rex
24/38
Kim Kardashian West, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly attend the BRIT Awards 2015
Dave Benett
25/38
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
27/38
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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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 host ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015
ITV
2/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly AKA PJ and Duncan with their hit single ‘Let’s get ready to rumble
3/38
Anthony McPartlin, Cat Deeley and Declan Donnelly on SM:TV in 2000
Rex
4/38
PJ and Duncan (Ant and Dec) in Byker Grove
5/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in theri breakthrough programme Byker Grove
6/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly star in Byker Grove in 2000
BBC
7/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host SM:TV Live in 2000
Rex Features
8/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with Cat Deeley presenting Party in the Park
9/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host ‘Friends Like These’ in 2000
BBC
10/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly hosts of The Brit Awards in 2001
ITV
11/38
Pop Idol presenters Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly celebrate with Will Young after he won the inaugural series in 2002
PA
12/38
Pop Idol judges Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman, Nicki Chapman and Neil Fox pose with show hosts Ant and Dec in 2003
/PA
13/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway in 2003
ITV
14/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in disguise present Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway in 2003
ITV
15/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
16/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly provide the voices behind CITV’s engaging pre-school animation series Engie Benjy – Dec is the voice
ITV
17/38
Spitting Image puppets mimic Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2006
PA
18/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly with Britain;ls Got Talent winner Paul Potts in 2007
Rex Features
19/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly laugh backstage at Britain’s Got Talent in 2007
ITV
20/38
Red Or Black with Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2011
ITV
21/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly hosts for ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!
ITV
22/38
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
23/38
George Shelley takes part in his final trial, watched by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in 2015
Rex
24/38
Kim Kardashian West, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly attend the BRIT Awards 2015
Dave Benett
25/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly host Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway in 2016
26/38
Ant vs Dec in Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
27/38
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
29/38
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
30/38
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly in Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway: The Missing Crown Jewels (Part 3) with Michael Sheen in 2017
ITV
31/38
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
32/38
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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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
McPartlin and Donnelly last month gave their first joint interview since his hiatus, with Donnelly revealing he wanted to “punch” his TV partner when he first heard about the crash.
Speaking to the Guardian he said: “How could he do that? I wanted to punch him and hug him at the same time – and I didn’t know which one I wanted to do first.”
They said the last year had been the most testing time for their friendship. The Geordie TV duo have known each other since aged 13 when they met on the set of CBBC show, Byker Grove.
McPartlin said of their work reunion: “I always wanted to be back with my friend. We love each other. So everything else goes out of the window. You want to laugh again. You want to enjoy your time together.”
