Ant McPartlin has several tattoos on his body, but what's the deep meanings behind them and how are they linked to the host?
Ant McPartlin, the presenter of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, has recently revealed his mysterious new tattoos for the first time during the show's launch on Sunday.
According to the Mirror, the 43-year-old presenter wore a rolled-up short-sleeved shirt that perfectly framed his new tattoos: an arrow on his right forearm and a rose on his left.
What do Ant’s tattoos mean?
The tattoos appear to have a deep personal meaning to do with mental health awareness, according to some fans. One fan even remarked on social media that 'Ant on I'm A Celeb has a mental health awareness tattoo on his arm,' while another said, 'Lili's got one, and I'm getting one.'
Some fans, however, were baffled and wondered if the star had always had the tattoos, with one tweeting: 'Am I normally really unobservant, has #Ant always had those tattoos on his forearms?'
Another penned: 'Genuine question #ImACelebrityGetMeOutOfHere Has Ant had new tattoos or am i blind and never noticed them?'
Ant McPartlin returned to I'm A Celebrity this year after taking two years away from presenting duties, during which time Holly Willoughby filled in for him. Ant's break followed his drink-driving conviction in March 2018, for which he was banned from driving for 20 months and fined a record £86,000. Speaking in August 2018, Ant confirmed he was taking a temporary break from all presenting duties in order to focus on his recovery, stating:
'Recovery is going very well and for that to continue having spoken to Dec and ITV, I have made the decision to take the rest of the year off.'
It's believed that Ant got the new tattoos earlier this year, as he previously said they have a 'personal meaning but it's very positive.' The new tattoos are not the only ones he has, as there is an S for 'Sober' on his right wrist and another on his left wrist which appears to be a 'H'. Ant also has three small stars tattooed near his left wrist, according to Heart.
Ant's struggles with addiction
Ant McPartlin rose to fame as one half of the presenting duo Ant & Dec alongside his longtime friend and collaborator Declan Donnelly, commonly known as Dec.
He began his career as a child actor, starring in the television series Byker Grove in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was during this time that he met Declan Donnelly, and the two formed a close friendship. After their acting careers, Ant and Dec transitioned into presenting and quickly became one of the most beloved presenting duos in British television.
They hosted numerous successful shows together, including SM:TV Live, Pop Idol, Britain's Got Talent, and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.
Despite great career heights in recent years, he faced personal challenges and took a break from his presenting duties.
According to the Mirror, the former Byker Grove actor admitted himself to rehab after struggling with addiction to painkillers in June, 2017. In an interview with The Sun, Ant disclosed that his depression had resulted in him becoming addicted to prescription drugs, and that he is currently struggling with alcohol and substance abuse. He said:
'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.'
Read more:
⋙ Ant McPartlin: Inside the I'm A Celebrity host's lavish £6m mansion
⋙ I'm A Celebrity 2022 start date as show returns to Australian jungle
⋙ I'm A Celebrity's Ant and Dec ‘working on brand new ITV quiz show’
