Ant and Dec: why we took a pay cut

By Neil Midgley Published: 7:00AM GMT twenty-five February 2010

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Anthony McPartlin (left) and Declan Donnelly: "When times were good, we done some-more money. When times are bad, we have less money," says Donnelly Photo: Spiros Politis / ITV

For all eternity, the presenters Ant and December will be pigeonholed not by their TV shows, but by Bill Nighys impression Billy Mack in Love Actually. The span done a cameo coming as themselves, and Mack, when asked a subject by one of them, uniformly replied, "Yes, I have, Ant or Dec", incompetent to discuss it that was which.

Its not wholly surprising, given that they have been mostly inseparable given they met on the set of the BBC childrens fool around Byker Grove in 1987. But theres one approach to discuss it them apart: as you see at them photographed together, Anthony McPartlin (the darker-haired one) will be on the left, with Declan Donnelly (the lighter-haired one) on the right. Indeed, for this interview, they plonk themselves down on a lounge in usually that order. So do they ever mount the alternative way? "We do!" insists McPartlin. "This wasnt intentional, it usually happens."

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Although they are both usually 34, their 23-year career creates them one of the longest-lasting stand in acts in showbusiness. They often finish each others sentences. People who know them off-screen zodiacally impute to them as "the boys". Its a pairing that has valid remunerative as well as durable: they progressed from Byker Grove, by short cocktail stardom, to being arguably the majority successful presenters on British television. They have usually sealed a new stipulate that keeps them to one side at ITV together with presenting Im a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and Britains Got Talent until the finish of 2011. They concede, though, that they have supposed a compensate cut.

"We usually did what majority people are doing," says Donnelly. "We longed for to stay at ITV. Everythings down, increase are down all opposite the house the compensate comes down as well. Its unequivocally simple. When times were good, we done some-more money. When times are bad, we have less money."

Even so, the span are reportedly earning �5 million a year each (down from a reported �6 million underneath their prior deal). Its an eye-watering figure, in the same joining as Jonathan Rosss much-pilloried �6 million-a-year stipulate with the BBC; but, says Donnelly, it reflects the actuality that they have fronted not usually Im a Celebrity and Britains Got Talent, but additionally Saturday Night Takeaway. "How they compensate us is without delay related to how successful the shows are, and were propitious to be in 3 unequivocally successful shows," he says. "We share in their success. I think were paid a going rate for how well the shows do."

McPartlin is penetrating to highlight the disproportion in between the BBC (whose check for on-air bent is frequency out of the news) and ITV. "Obviously, the BBC is saved by licence-payers. If you are profitable for a TV licence, when you see what people are paid, afterwards you know youre appropriation that," he says. "But ITVs different. It has shareholders, the a blurb broadcaster, the a marketplace."

The span will be behind on ITV1 this Saturday with a new family diversion show, Push the Button. It will be, says McPartlin, "very big, utterly daft, unequivocally fun." Donnelly adds: "Wed similar to to see a image of Britain in 2010 genuine families, the sort of people that we encounter when were you do the Britains Got Talent auditions."

The span have already been out hosting the auditions for this years run of Talent, that will be seen in April. "We found a integrate of good characters in Glasgow," says McPartlin. "Loads of dogs. A good comparison lady singer. And dual dancing horses." The perfect accumulation of individualist acts is piece of whats done it the majority renouned TV show in the nation - along, of course, with the participation of head decider Simon Cowell.

McPartlin and Donnelly have been operative with Cowell for scarcely 10 years they were the presenters of Pop Idol, prototype of The X Factor. Cowell has progressively turn some-more ambitious, with the US version of The X Factor due to launch subsequent year. But, says Donnelly, "as far as were concerned, not most has altered given we proposed operative with him. Hes got a bit richer."

But Planet Cowell can be an peculiar place to live. "We once had a assembly with him whilst he was bare-chested, carrying a haircut, after a days auditions," Donnelly says. Was it usually the hair on his head that he was carrying cut? "Well, I dont know, we got there late, they competence have proposed from the bottom and worked up," says McPartlin.

As they talk, the two-handed, off-the-cuff humerous entertainment comes thick and fast. And, says Donnelly, that air of easy inseparability isnt usually an act. "We still live roughly subsequent doorway to each alternative in Chiswick," he says. "We still go to the pub, have the same organisation of mates, fool around five-a-side football and golf when weve got a bit of gangling time." On Valentines Day this year, they were even photographed on a stand in date with McPartlins wife, Lisa Armstrong, and Donnellys girlfriend, the Sky Sports presenter Georgie Thompson. Donnelly and Thompson have right away been together for over a year. Will Donnelly be popping the subject soon? "Not immediately," he says. "Who knows?"

Then he gestures to McPartlin. "We had a gamble when we were about I dunno, about 15? - we each gamble that the alternative would be the initial to get married," he says. "So I think you owe me 50 quid."

"I paid yer!" says McPartlin hotly.

"Did yer?"

"Yeah. On the marriage night."

Donnelly thinks. "So you did!"

"Yeah, you see. Hes giving it large, but Id already paid up."

"Sorry, I was a bit dipsomaniac on the marriage night," concludes Donnelly sheepishly. "I was usually relieved to get the debate over."

Yet, notwithstanding the best-man stories and the five-a-side, the tough not to consternation if possibly of them ever contemplates going solo. After all, twenty-three years is a prolonged time. "No, God, no," says McPartlin. "We havent found anything we fancy, really. Were mates, initial and foremost. And fundamentally, we usually love operative together."

* Push the Button starts on Saturday, 7.45pm, ITV1