Ant McPartlin shared his desire to be a father more than a decade before “confirming” that his wife Anne-Marie Corbett was pregnant with their first child.
The TV presenter, 48, previously revealed his and now ex-wife Lisa Armstrong’s “tough” battle to conceive in a candid 2013 interview.
Ant and Strictly Come Dancing makeup artist Lisa married in 2006 and tried to have a baby for several years, before divorcing in 2018 without having children.
He said radio times in 2013: “There’s a rumor that I’m putting off having kids until (co-host Declan Donnelly) finds himself Mrs. Right.”
‘I love that idea, but I’m afraid it’s not true. Lisa and I would love to have children. We are trying. It’s harder than you think when you’re a little older.’
Ant McPartlin, 48, shared his desire to be a father more than a decade before “confirming” his wife Anne-Marie Corbett was pregnant with their first child (pictured together in January).
The TV presenter previously revealed his and now ex-wife Lisa Armstrong’s ‘tough’ battle to conceive in a candid interview (pictured together in 2015).
Dec is now happily married to his wife Ali Astall, with whom he shares daughter Isla, five, and son Jack, one.
Ant reportedly confirmed to friends that he will become a father for the first time this week.
He is said to be “beyond delighted” with the news, as he told his Britain’s Got Talent co-stars this week and revealed that Anne-Marie, 46, would be born in June.
It was previously rumored in December that Anne-Marie may be expecting her first child, after she appeared to be several months pregnant while returning from a trip to Dubai. The couple has yet to publicly comment on the news.
According Sun Ant had already confided the wonderful news to his close friend and on-screen partner Dec after weeks of speculation.
Anne-Marie, who has two children from her previous marriage, is believed to have already undergone her five-month scan, allowing 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.”
“It’s no secret that Ant has always wanted to have children, but that it may never happen to him was something he sadly had to come to terms with.”
Ant and Strictly Come Dancing makeup artist Lisa married in 2006 and tried to have a baby for several years, before divorcing in 2018 without having children (pictured in 2001).
Anne-Marie, who has two children from her previous marriage, is believed to have already undergone her five-month scan, allowing the couple to confidently let the cat out of the bag this week (pictured together in 2023) .
They went on to describe Ant as a “wonderful, loving father” to Anne-Marie’s children and said the couple did everything they could to keep the news a secret for as long as possible.
Adding: “Having a child two years before his 50th birthday, with the love of his life, is Ant’s dream.”
MailOnline has contacted Ant representatives for comment.
Ant and Anne-Marie met after meeting while she was working for the TV star and his ex-wife.
Friends previously told MailOnline’s Katie Hind that Lisa would be “very upset” if her ex-partner’s happy news was confirmed, because she too was desperate to become a mother.
For Lisa, who shares a brown Labrador called Hurley with her ex-husband, what made it more difficult is that Anne-Marie worked for them as a personal assistant before she started dating the I’m A Celeb star.
A friend said in December: ‘Anne-Marie was friends with Lisa and was very involved in getting her the job for the McPartlins.
“Lisa sent birthday and Christmas gifts to Anne-Marie’s children, even went on vacation with them, and then, wham, everything changed.”
The couple made headlines when Anne-Marie was spotted arriving at Heathrow airport in December on her way to a New Year’s holiday in Dubai, apparently several months pregnant.
The couple met after meeting while she was working for Ant and his ex-wife (pictured in 2021).
Friends previously told MailOnline’s Katie Hind that Lisa would be “very upset” if her ex-partner’s happy news was confirmed, because she was also desperate to become a mother (pictured at her 2016 wedding).
Ant and Lisa, former singer of the now-defunct pop band Deuce, married in 2006 in a lavish ceremony at Cliveden House in Berkshire.
They separated in September 2018 after he entered rehab for addiction problems.
A lengthy divorce battle followed, mainly over the TV star’s £60million fortune.
Rumors 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 any problems at the time, pointing out that she had a job and had not been to Australia for years.
But Ant’s rep announced in January 2018 that the couple’s 11-year marriage was over.
Ant began being linked to 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 that said it was “a huge violation of girl code” to “start living with your wife’s friend.”
Her marriage to Ant officially ended in October 2018 when she was granted a decree nisi after he admitted adultery.