The television presenter Ant McPartlin has decided to go back into treatment and step down from his current TV commitments following his arrest for suspected drink-driving, his publicist said.

The co-star of Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was arrested after he was believed to have been involved in a collision with two other cars while driving his Mini in Richmond, west London, on Sunday afternoon.

A statement from McPartlin’s publicist said: “Ant has decided to go back into treatment and step down from his current TV commitments. He has spoken with Dec [Declan Donnelly] and ITV today and asked for time off for the foreseeable future. As such, Saturday Night Takeaway will not be going ahead this Saturday.”

An ITV spokesman said: “ITV has taken a joint decision with Ant and Dec’s team not to broadcast Saturday Night Takeaway this weekend. We will be reviewing options for the last two episodes of the series (31 March and 7 April), which would not feature Ant who is taking time off to seek treatment. We very much hope that he gets the help that he needs.”

McPartlin is alleged to have failed a roadside breathalyser test and was arrested. He has since been released under investigation.

The Metropolitan police said a child who was a passenger in one of the cars was taken to hospital to be checked as a precaution.



A Met spokesperson said: “ Police were called to reports of a three-car crash on Lower Richmond Road at about 4pm. Officers, London ambulance service and London fire brigade attended, with a number of people being treated at the scene for minor injuries.

They later said McPartlin was “taken to a south London police station for questioning and has since been released under investigation”.



McPartlin and Donnelly, known to the public as Ant and Dec, forged their professional partnership after they starred in the BBC children’s drama series Byker Grove in the 1990s.



After a brief musical career, the pair went on to present a range of ITV children’s programmes, before becoming the face of hit shows like I’m A Celebrity, Britain’s Got Talent and their own entertainment show, Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

McPartlin entered rehabilitation last year after struggling with an addiction to painkillers.

In an interview last June before he went into rehab, McPartlin told the Sun newspaper: “I feel like I have let a lot of people down and for that I am truly sorry. I want to thank my wife, family and closest friends for helping me through this really difficult time.

“I’ve spoken out because I think it’s important that people ask for help if they’re going through a rough time and get the proper treatment to help their recovery.”

He added: “I was at the point where anything — prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs — I would take.

“And take them with alcohol, which is ridiculous. The doctors told me, ‘You could have killed yourself’. ”