Geordie TV presenter Ant McPartlin was reunited with his best friend and co-host Dec Donnelly yesterday, when he returned to work for the latest series of Britain's Got Talent. After taking time off to focus on his recovery, Ant delighted fans by sharing a selfie with Dec, before the presenter got very emotional on stage at the London auditions.
In a video that has emerged online, Dec can be heard introducing Ant to the crowd, before the pair embrace for lovely hug.
Dec said, "We've got a bunch of acts backstage who are eager to get out here and perform for you. The judges are back, the buzzers are back... and someone else is back. My co-host for this series, would you please welcome - Mr Ant McPartlin!"
As Ant appeared on stage, the 43-year-old said, "Oh god, I'm really, really emotional now. I've missed you all." Ant then turned to Dec and said, "As for you! I've missed you," before the pair hugged it out on stage.
Turning to the crowd, Ant added, "What a lovely welcome. What a great show to come back to. I'm thrilled, I'm over the moon. Shall we crack on before I cry?"
Aww! ❤️
Check out all of this year's National Television Award nominees:
NTAs 2019 nominations slider
1 of 14Quiz Show
The Chase8 Out Of 10 Cats Does CountdownPointlessA League of Their OwnCatchphrase
2 of 14New Drama
Killing EveGirlfriendsThe CryA Discovery Of WitchesBodyguard
3 of 14Talent Show
Dancing On IceThe Voice UKThe X FactorBritain's Got TalentStrictly Come Dancing
4 of 14Drama
Doctor WhoPeaky BlindersOur GirlCasualtyCall The Midwife
5 of 14TV Presenter
Ant & DecHolly WilloughbyPhillip SchofieldGraham NortonBradley Walsh
6 of 14Factual Entertainment
The Great British Bake OffGoggleboxPaul O'Grady: For The Love Of DogsAmbulanceDIY SOS: The Big Build
7 of 14Drama Performance
Richard Madden as Sgt David Budd - BodyguardMichelle Keegan as L.Cpl Georgie Lane - Our GirlJodie Comer as Villanelle - Killing EveJodie Whittaker as The Doctor - Doctor WhoCillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby - Peaky Blinders
8 of 14The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award
I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!Ant & Dec's Saturday Night TakeawayAll Round To Mrs Brown'sThe Graham Norton ShowLove Island
9 of 14Serial Drama
Coronation StreetEastEndersEmmerdaleHollyoaks
10 of 14Serial Drama Performance
Lucy Pargeter as Chas Dingle in EmmerdaleBonnie Langford as Carmel Kazemi in EastEndersJack P Shepherd as David Platt in Coronation StreetDanny Dyer as Mick Carter in EastEndersEmma Atkins as Charity Dingle in Emmerdale
11 of 14Comedy
Peter Kay's Car ShareJack Whitehall: Travels With My FatherBenidormMrs Brown's BoysThe Big Bang Theory
12 of 14Newcomer
Ricky Champ as Stuart Highway in EastEndersJames Moore as Ryan Stocks in EmmerdaleAedan Duckworth as Oliver Morgan in HollyoaksAlexandra Mardell as Emma Brooker in Coronation StreetNeet Mohan as Dr Rashid 'Rash' Masum in Casualty
13 of 14Daytime
Good Morning BritainThe Jeremy Kyle ShowThis MorningSunday BrunchLoose Women
14 of 14TV Judge
Simon Cowell on Britain's Got Talent and The X FactorRobert Rinder on Judge RinderDavid Walliams on Britain's Got TalentRobbie Williams on The X FactorLouis Tomlinson on The X Factor
After Ant made the decision to take time off following his arrest for drink driving last year, Dec was forced to present the 2018 Britain's Got Talent live shows alone, before Holly Willoughby stepped in to replace Ant on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.
And after spending such a long time apart, it seems the boys were super happy to be working together again, posting a selfie on the way to the first auditions yesterday (Friday 18th January).
Sharing a snap of themselves in the back of a car, the boys wrote, '#BGT 2019. Audition day 1. The boys are back in town.' [sic]
The brand new series of Britain's Got Talent, with judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams, is expected to return to our TV screens in the coming months.
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