Declan Donnelly
Dec Donnelly | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Donnelly at the British Academy Television Awards 2009 | |
| Born | Declan Joseph Oliver Donnelly |
| Occupation(s) | Television presenter, actor, singer |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Partner(s) | Clare Buckfield (1993–2003) |
Declan Joseph Oliver "Dec" Donnelly (25 September 1975) was one half of the English born acting and television presenting duo "Ant & Dec", with the other being Anthony McPartlin. He came to prominence in the children's drama series Byker Grove and as one half of the pop duo PJ & Duncan. He regularly appeared on British television from Top of the Pops to the 2002 Tribute to The Likely Lads.
Early life
Dec is the youngest of seven children to Irish[1][2] parents Anne and Alphonsus Donnelly. He has three brothers called Martin, Éamonn and Dermott (A Catholic priest) and three sisters called Patricia, Moyra and Camalia.
His parents, from Draperstown in Northern Ireland, moved with his family to Newcastle and bought a house in Cruddas Park [3] in 1958.
Dec attended St Michael's Roman Catholic Primary School and St Cuthbert's High School, which he left with 8 GCSEs.[2]
The part of Duncan on Byker Grove was his first well known TV appearance at the age of 12 but had been in at least one children's programme previously. Dec saw an advert in a local newspaper stating that a new children's TV show would be filmed in Newcastle and was looking for young actors. It was his father who suggested that he audition. At first Dec said 'Nah', then later he rang the producer and asked for an audition. It was on the Byker Grove set that Ant and Dec first met.
TV career
Ant & Dec soon became the famous duo known today, who host the ITV1 Saturday night show Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, an entertainment show in which the duo compete against each other and the audience can win prizes. Ant & Dec also host ITV1's reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in which celebrities are placed in the jungle and have to compete to win the show. They also host another ITV1 show Britain's Got Talent which is a talent search to find an act to perform at the Royal Variety Show in front of the Royal Family. The duo achieved wide international exposure after interviewing show contestant Susan Boyle whose audition would become the most-viewed YouTube video of 2009 and whose record album topped sales charts in dozens of countries.
Dec is shorter than Ant at 1.68m (5'6"), and usually stands on the right of the screen.
Personal life
Dec was in a 10 year romance with Clare Buckfield, an English actress, but they split in 2003 because of the pressure of their workloads. Rumours of a third party involvement were immediately denied, and the pair remain friends.[citation needed]At Ant's wedding to make-up artist Lisa Armstrong, Dec was his best man.[4]
It was reported on 21 January 2009 that Donnelly was dating Sky Sports presenter Georgie Thompson. [5] The next day, Thompson was faced with a prank on the autocue, when the phrase "It's all hands on dec" appeared.[6]
Earnings
In 2007, with his on screen partner Anthony McPartlin, he signed a £30 million, two and a half year contract with ITV.
Awards
Ant & Dec have won a considerable number of awards over the years for their television work, as well as awards for Best New Act during their singing career.
They have gained:
- The Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards for their contribution to television (at the young age of 27).
- Best Entertainment Presenter at the National Television Awards for the past nine years.
- Best Entertainment Programme for Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway 10 series in a row at the NTA's.
- Best Reality TV Programme for I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and Pop Idol at the NTA's.
- The TVTimes Awards for Presenters and Entertainment Programme.
External links
References
- ^ I bPróifíl: Declan Donnelly The Irish News
- ^ a b THE IoS PROFILE: Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly; Likely lad Archvied from the Independent (London)
- ^ Dec's parents unmoved Northern Echo
- ^ Dec is talk of the Toon The Sun
- ^ Declan Donnelly dating Sky Sports presenter Georgie Thompson
- ^ 'It's all hands on Dec': Sky Sports colleagues rib Georgie Thompson over new romance with Declan Donnelly DailyMail.co.uk