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AIBU?

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Original poster

Aibu to think he’ll struggle coming back from this (Ant)

999 replies

Fruitbat1980 · 18/03/2018 23:17

What a stupid boy. Worth 60 million and doesn’t get a taxi. I just don’t know how he’ll come back from this latest fiasco (drink drive car crash hits 3 year old).

OP posts:
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Forevertired19 · 19/03/2018 20:28

I don't care nor want to see them two on telly again. I can't stand them.
I just hope the little girl is okay.
Feel sorry for the other one though, Dec. I don't like them or find them particularly entertaining, but he doesn't deserve to be dragged down with him.

Bundlesmads · 19/03/2018 20:30

There is simply no one like them on TV and they are loved by millions, whether some MNers like it or not.

I think their act is tired. And their schtick was all based around being two likeable boy next door everyday working class lads that you could take home to meet your Mum or go out for a pint with. Lads you could trust.

I think Ant has damaged the brand. The first time in rehab people felt sorry for him. The second time, when he’s not just screwed up his sobriety, but also put the general public at risk - I think that’s hard to come back from.

It’s kind of drawn back the veil too. Ant has always had a bit of a manic undercurrent going on.

Shinycat · 19/03/2018 20:31

Yeah I am afraid Dec will be dragged down too. As much as I like them both, one will be nothing without the other.

I think the little girl is OK. I don't think anyone was hurt badly. Thankfully.

fourpawswhite · 19/03/2018 20:31

I was wondering about charge point as well.

Scottish lawyer here, albeit more family these days. Have done fair amount of crime in my day though.

Drink driving here, you would either be charged and released, charged and detained or released without charge. Never seen someone test positive and be released without charge. They would hold them until they had blood if the breath was borderline. It's an automatic court appearance so no discretion.

They would release on bail or without to investigate a road traffic accident, but again tend to charge before release. Not mandatory though.

So for interest sake, I take it that's quite different in England ( most things are) ie, would they release someone pending further investigation for a drink drive?

Shinycat · 19/03/2018 20:32

Good points @bundlemads

I think this may be the beginning of the end for the Ant & Dec brand.

They have had a good run but it may be the end of the road now.

I do hope they will be OK though as I do like them.

Shinycat · 19/03/2018 20:33

Interesting. Thanks @fourpaws. Smile

Bundlesmads · 19/03/2018 20:36

And buddha, prescription painkiller addiction is not an addiction which requires the DVLA to be informed. Alcoholism is. But Ant went to great lengths to deny being an alcoholic (another thing which damages the brand).

But that doesn’t translate to people with MH problems deserving bans.

Nicknacky · 19/03/2018 20:37

fourpaws In the old days if they blew between certain levels then it would go to blood and they would be released without charge pending those results. But most of the time it was clear cut and it was the evidential breathe sample you would charge on.

Oh and we don’t bail from police offices on Scotland.

Shinycat · 19/03/2018 20:38

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Bundlesmads · 19/03/2018 20:39

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Bluelady · 19/03/2018 20:40

I assumed they were waiting for blood test results but those must be through by now.

Shinycat · 19/03/2018 20:42

Oh nooooo. Sad

I guess if he was just over the limit at the scene, he could be under by the time they got him to the police station. However, it doesn't alter the fact that he drove carelessly, and had been drinking booze, and could have bloody killed someone. Sad

As I said, I hope he learns from this, and recovers soon.

Nicknacky · 19/03/2018 20:44

blue We would wait weeks for the results. They were posted to a lab and analysed there. Don’t know if England is the same, right enough.

HelenaDove · 19/03/2018 20:45

He was in rehab between BGT and IACGMOOH last year?

If thats the case ITVs mistake was expecting the timing of Ants rehab to suit their timetable.

SirGawain · 19/03/2018 20:45

I know he isn’t/ wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea but no getting away from fact he’s one of the most highly paid/ popular presenters on TV.
Since when did being famous and popular entitle one to behave like a complete arse. Unless of course you are Jeremy Clarkson.

IanRushesInadequateFlushes · 19/03/2018 20:46

I was pretty young when this advert came out - it's certainly partly why I would never drink/drive. It made a big impression - anyone else remember it?

m.youtube.com/watch?v=f5ma_Xv7rGM

Bluelady · 19/03/2018 20:48

Thanks, nick, I kind of assumed they'd rush these through.

fourpawswhite · 19/03/2018 20:54

Sorry Nick, I'm meaning a bail undertaking

MarvelleGazelle · 19/03/2018 20:54

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Bundlesmads · 19/03/2018 20:55

helena, I don’t think anything ITV did would have changed much. It sounds like he has an alcohol problem he was in complete denial about.

One of the quote from his interview is really telling. He said something like he wasn’t an alcoholic because he didn’t get up and drink first thing in the morning. It’s a really common deflection technique from alcoholics in denial. They try and identify something even worse than what they’re doing hoping it gives them deniability on what they are doing.

So ‘I drink 15 pints a day but I never drink in the morning/drink spirits etc, so I can’t be an alcoholic’.

Bundlesmads · 19/03/2018 20:57

Not sure flying, Dec was always the straight man. Without Ant audiences might well find Dec...dull.

The80sweregreat · 19/03/2018 20:57

His mum must feel pretty bad too. I know I'd be mortified if it were a relative of mine. Bad enough if your a normal person - but he is pretty famous in the UK and the papers will have a field day.
I'm so glad the little girl is well - it could have been so much worse.

London137 · 19/03/2018 21:00

I feel sorry for everyone involved on all sides - no-one is a winner here.

It certainly proves one thing: money cannot buy you happiness.

Shinycat · 19/03/2018 21:00

@FlyingBird

Hope you're right! Smile

I hope they will both be OK actually.

HeedMove · 19/03/2018 21:02

I know of someone who is addicted to cocaine and alcohol and drives. We now having nothing to do with him. He does have metal health problems and his whole life is chaos. He also left his wife because when he was so wrecked he had no feelings at all towards her as it numbed them out. There’s no condoning driving under the influence at all.

Police don’t just test for alcohol at the side of the road they can test for drugs too. He could of failed the drug test and it’s actually prescription drugs that showed up that he possibly shouldn’t of been driving on.

If we have a drink until about 6am some times when at a party, then I’d definitely still be over the limit at 4pm. So, I don’t drive at all that day or early into the next day!

There’s only so much sympathy you can have for someone who has all the help in the world handed to them and plenty of money to pay and not worry about affording it. Who then fucks it all up. You can take a horse to the water but you can’t make it drink.