A tearful Declan Donnelly gave an emotional speech off-camera after presenting* Ant & Dec''s Saturday Night Takeaway* alone. The brave presenter hailed the audience in an tear-jerking speech after the show, telling them: 'I couldn’t have done it without you.'
We're not crying, you're crying!
ITV bosses were 'panicking' on how to address Ant McPartlin's absence following his drink-driving arrest.
However, Dec simply told the crowd, "Thank you for that very, very warm welcome. I really appreciate it...I've got twice the amount of work to do."
“I wasn’t sure how I was going to do or how you were going to react . . . but you carried me all the way through the show.
The night was a triumph and received the highest viewing figures the show had seen, reaching a peak of 8.6 million viewers.
Minutes after the show ended, Dec told the studio audience: “It’s been the weirdest, weirdest show.
"Thank you.
"But I wanted to say a huge, huge thank you to lots of people here
“I think that’s it
“Most of all I just wanted to thank you guys.
“That reception when I came down the stairs . . . I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.
“I couldn’t have done it without you guys.
"I’ve talked quite enough this evening — enough talking for two.
"Thank you so much.
"And we can all go to the bar.
According to The Sun, Dec was visibly tearful as he embraced friends and family including pregnant wife Ali Astall.