Ant McPartlin’s stepfather David Woodhall has broken the family’s silence after it was reported the TV host was expecting his first child at aged 48 with wife Ann-Marie Corbett.
David, who is married to Ant’s mother Christine, said he was ‘over the moon’ and declared the Saturday Night Take Away star would make a ‘great dad’ after already being a wonderful father figure to Ann-Marie’s two daughters from a previous relationship.
Speaking to The Sun David said: ‘[Ant] will make a good dad. He’s good with the girls so he’ll be great’.
‘He’s very happy I think. I’m over the moon’.
It was rumoured back in December that Anne-Marie, 46, could be expecting their first child, after she appeared to be several months pregnant while returning from a trip to Dubai. The couple are yet to publicly comment on the news.
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Ant McPartlin’s stepfather David Woodhall has broken the family’s silence after it was reported the TV host was expecting his first child with wife Ann-Marie Corbett (Ant and Ann-Marie pictured together in January)
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David, who is married to Ant’s mother Christine, said he was ‘over the moon’ and declared the Saturday Night Take Away star would make a ‘great dad’ after already being a wonderful father figure to Ann-Marie’s two daughters from a previous relationship (Pictured 2021)
Ant is said to be ‘beyond delighted’ at the prospect of becoming a father and he told his Britain’s Got Talent co-stars last week, and revealed Anne-Marie was due in June.
According to The Sun Ant had already confided the wonderful news in close friend and onscreen partner Declan Donnelly following weeks of speculation.
Anne-Marie, who has two children from her previous marriage, is believed to have already had her five-month scan which allowed the couple to confidently let the cat out of the bag.
A source told the publication: ‘This is the news everyone wanted. Ant and Anne- Marie are beyond delighted.’
MailOnline contacted Ant’s reps for comment.
Ant has always been open about his desire to be a father.
In 2013 he revealed his and ex-wife Lisa Armstrong’s struggles, saying: ‘There’s a rumour that I’m holding off having kids till Dec finds himself Mrs Right.
‘I love that idea, but I’m afraid it’s not true. Lisa and I would love to have kids. We’re trying. It’s tougher than you think when you get a bit older.’
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Anne-Marie, who has two children from her previous marriage, is believed to have already had her five-month scan which allowed the couple to confidently let the cat out of the bag (pictured together in 2023)
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A source described Ant as a ‘wonderful doting father’ to Anne-Marie’s children and said the couple did everything they could to keep the news a secret (pictured at their 2021 wedding)
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Ant pictured with mum Christine Woodhall
The TV star credits his wife, who he married in a lavish £500k wedding in 2021, for getting him through his alcohol and prescription drug addictions.
Previously saying: ‘She’s been my rock. She’s a beautiful soul. We’re very happy. I’m in the best place I’ve been in my life. It’s great.’
There have been rumours swirling for some months that the couple might be expecting – particularly after Anne-Marie decided against flying to Australia to be at her husband’s side as while he hosted ITV’s I’m A Celebrity.
Instead, he was there alone while his on-screen partner Dec was joined by his wife Ali Astall and their two children, Isla, five, and Jack, one.
The couple set tongues wagging when Anne-Marie was seen arriving at Heathrow airport in December on the way to a New Year break to Dubai, appearing to be several months pregnant.
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The couple set tongues wagging when Anne-Marie was seen arriving at Heathrow airport in December on the way to a New Year break to Dubai , appearing to be several months pregnant
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One onlooker said of Ant: ‘He couldn’t stop smiling, he looked like the happiest man in the world.
Dressed in a loose black dress and yellow woollen cardigan, she smiled as she pushed her luggage towards the terminal.
One onlooker said of Ant: ‘He couldn’t stop smiling, he looked like the happiest man in the world.’
The pair got together after meeting while she worked for Ant and his former wife, Lisa Armstrong.
Friends previously told MailOnline’s Katie Hind that Lisa would be ‘very upset’ if her former partner’s happy news was confirmed – because she too was desperate to become a mother.
In fact, it is believed that she and Ant tried for a baby for several years and she was devastated when their marriage ended in 2018, still childless.
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There have been rumours swirling for some months that the couple might be expecting after Anne-Marie decided against flying to Australia while Ant hosted I’m A Celebrity (Ant and Dec pictured with winner Sam Thompson)
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Instead, he was there alone while his on-screen partner Dec was joined by his wife Ali Astall and their two children, Isla, five, and Jack, one (Anne-Marie, Ant, Dec and Ali in 2021)
For make-up artist Lisa, who shares a brown labrador named Hurley with her ex-husband, what has made it harder is that Anne-Marie worked for them as a PA before she began dating the I’m A Celeb star.
A friend said in December: ‘Anne-Marie was Lisa’s friend, and she was heavily involved in getting her the job working for the McPartlins.
‘Lisa would send Anne-Marie’s children birthday and Christmas presents, she even went on holiday with them, and then bang, it all changed.’
Ant and Lisa – a former singer in the now defunct pop band Deuce – married in 2006 at a lavish ceremony at Cliveden House in Berkshire.
They split in September 2018 after he checked into rehab for addiction issues.
A lengthy divorce battle followed, mostly over the TV star’s £60million fortune.
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The couple wed star-studded service in Hmapshire in August 2021
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Dec (L) served as his long time pal’s Best man
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The wedding was attended by a host of famous faces including Phillip Schofield, Stephen Mulhern, Cat Deeley and husband Patrick Kielty (pictured)
Rumours that the couple had split emerged in autumn 2017 after Lisa did not accompany Ant to Australia for I’m A Celeb.
She denied there were problems at the time, pointing out that she had a job and had not been to Australia for years.
Ant & Anne-Marie’s £500k wedding costs
Bride arrived in a £300k black Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Bride wore a £15,000 bespoke floor-length dress by designer Suzanne Neville
Guests arrived in a £30k Mercedes Benz people carrier
The Grade II listed church cost £25 for a daytime hire
The reception took place at Heckfield Place, with Ant reportedly shelling out £110k to put 100 guests up for the night
Bridal suite cost £5k for the wedding night
But Ant’s representative announced in January 2018 that the couple’s 11 year marriage had ended.
Ant began to be linked with his personal assistant Anne-Marie just weeks later in March 2018.
Lisa was said to have indicated her disapproval of the relationship by liking a fan’s tweet which said it was ‘a major girl code breach’ to ‘start shacking up with your wife’s friend’.
Her and Ant’s marriage officially ended in October 2018 when she was granted a decree nisi after he admitted adultery.
Lisa split from her most recent partner, James, 40, in August 2023 after he surprisingly ended their romance and moved out of her £4.5m London home while she was working in Manchester.
Insiders close to the former couple have told MailOnline their relationship turned toxic over money, as Lisa claims she loaned him cash during their time together back, but he’s resisting all approaches.
Lisa and James dated for three years and the electrician was her most serious relationship since her high-profile divorce from husband Ant, in which she received a reported £31m payout.
James was working for a company installing electric doors when they met, having recently moved out of the £450,000 family home he shared with ex-wife Kirsty in Winchester, Hampshire.
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The pair got together after meeting while she worked for Ant and his former wife, Lisa Armstrong (pictured in 2021)
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Ant was always open about his desire to be a father and tried unsuccessfully for a child with ex-wife (pictured at their wedding in 2006)
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Friends previously told MailOnline’s Katie Hind that Lisa would be ‘very upset’ if her former partner’s happy news was confirmed – because she too was desperate to become a mother (pictured 2015)
But James shocked Lisa by breaking up with her totally unannounced and moved his belongings out of her home when she was away.
A source told MailOnline at the time: ‘I don’t really know what has gone wrong. The two of them were only on a swanky holiday together in the Caribbean or somewhere about eight weeks ago.
‘He was with her one day, and he just wasn’t with her the next day. There was no inkling that anything was wrong.’
Despite the surprise split, friends told how the pair were initially on amicable terms but that is no longer the case, mainly in part to Lisa’s demands for her money back.
A friend of James said: ‘When Lisa gave him that money, he thought it was in good grace – he didn’t see it as a loan with strict conditions to pay it back by a certain time.
‘It’s all got rather messy and Lisa threatening him with legal action is obviously concerning given her financial power.’
During their divorce battle, Ant is said to have told lawyers: ‘She can have anything she wants – except the dog.’
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During their divorce battle, Ant is said to have told lawyers: ‘She can have anything she wants – except the dog’ (Lisa pictured with dog Hurley)
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Lisa split from her most recent partner, James, 40, in August 2023 after he surprisingly ended their romance and moved out of her £4.5m London home while she was working in Manchester
The former couple reportedly agreed to take it in turns to look after Hurley.
The arrangement led to the TV presenter’s chauffeur ferrying the dog between the two of them so they did not have to see each other.
It was reported in February this year that Lisa wanted her pet to live with her full time.
She is said to have argued that it was only fair as Ant also had two maltipoo dogs – Maltese and poodle crossbreeds – called Milo and Bumble.
