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AIBU?

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Original poster

To feel a bit sorry for Dec

142 replies

Bobbiepin · 19/03/2018 21:50

I've not read a huge amount about the Ant Mcpartlin situation but it's clear things are going down the pooper pretty quick.

With all of this going on, does anyone else feel a bit sorry for Dec? His mate has royally fucked up and therefore he probably will find it difficult to find work. They've been a double act since the 80s so is anyone likely to hire Dec on his own?

It's like the Lost Prophets after it was found out that Watkins was a paedophile. I'm sure Dec's hardly strapped for cash but still.

OP posts:
Redglitter · 19/03/2018 22:35

@Bobbiepin I think it would have been different had the child - who's apparently 4 - been injured but all the reports said she was taken to hospital as a precaution and her parents have confirmed she's ok. I don't honestly think that'll make any difference to peoples opinions in the long run

Cornishclio · 19/03/2018 22:48

No, I don't really feel sorry for Dec. I think they are both annoying and irritating and as they are both multi millionaires he is not going to struggle. If you depend on someone else for your career going well then you must be pretty talent less.

As for Ant, if I never see him on my screen again that would be just fine. Height of irresponsibility to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking especially when he would have no problem finding the money to pay for a taxi.

Cornishclio · 19/03/2018 22:50

I think it would have been different had the child - who's apparently 4 - been injured but all the reports said she was taken to hospital as a precaution and her parents have confirmed she's ok.

I don't think it makes any difference whether the child is injured or not. He could have killed someone.

kazillionaire · 19/03/2018 22:51

I feel sorry for Dec as it must be hell watching a close friend self destruct and in public too, Ant was a fool to drink drive and his mum was a fool to let him. by the grace of God there were no injuries so hopefully this will be a massive wake up call to him and he will be back doing what he and Dec do best - entertaining us

GreenTulips · 19/03/2018 22:55

But will that be live on Saturday?

Ruffian · 19/03/2018 23:09

I don't feel sorry for Dec. He must be as close to Ant as anyone, knows what a state he's in yet went along with the fiction that it was all tickety-boo after the rehab stint.

If he really cared about him he'd have said screw the contracts, we've made a ton of money, won all the awards and now you need to focus on getting well.

Sophisticatedsarcasm · 19/03/2018 23:16

I literally said this to my mum earlier. I really feel sorry for him as he’s got to change his whole work dynamic esp3cially if they get rid of ant.
I don’t condone drink driving and never will but the press obviously have it out for him when you read he’s knock3d over a 3 year old which isn’t what even happen3d, now they are gonna watch every single thing he does and that means dec is probably gonna be on the end of some of thier bullshit story’s. I’m not sure how they can continue takeawAmy. I know when he came back to I’m a celebrity they were making jokes about his stint in rehab but they can’t r3ally make jokes about this as it was involving someone else. Th8nk the n3xt episode might be pretty awkward 😬

Onlyoldontheoutside · 19/03/2018 23:23

I feel a bit sorry for them both and hope Ant can recover and takes as long a break as is needed.
To be honest they've had a longer and more successful run than many and not financially compromised.If Ant recovers sufficiently I'm sure they'll be back but perhaps with a lower work load.

PodgeBod · 19/03/2018 23:27

I do feel sorry for Dec but I think it will be great to have a bit of a break from them so that some new talent can step up. It feels like everything is presented by a handful of people!

PersianCatLady · 19/03/2018 23:30

There are so many people who deserve my sympathy more than Dec so in answer to the OP's question - NO

TheFairyCaravan · 19/03/2018 23:30

I don’t feel sorry for him. I bet he’s known full well that Ant’s been on the drink since he came out of rehab. I doubt this is a surprise to him.

They’re all set up for life. He won’t have to work another day. I’m pig sick of seeing the pair of them, and Holly&Phil and Stephen Mullhern. I bet it will be Stephen dragged in for the last two episodes if they show them.

Maybe we can start to see some different faces coming through on the tele for a change.

Octave777 · 19/03/2018 23:35

"If he really cared about him he'd have said screw the contracts, we've made a ton of money, won all the awards and now you need to focus on getting well."

Agree

witchofzog · 19/03/2018 23:36

I do feel sorry for Dec actually. Not because of the money. Of course he will be fine. But because this form of early retirement in his early 40's is something he has not chosen.

Yes he can go on holidays whenever he wants etc but ultimately he may not work again for a long time due to no fault of his own and this "Occupational Imbalance" as it is known in my line of work, can be a trigger for a whole host of mental health problems. It is prevalent in retirees of all incomes due to the loss of identity and purpose. So yes. Of course I have empathy as this is not his doing or his choice

nancy75 · 19/03/2018 23:37

Not so much Dec, but I do feel sorry for all the other people that work on the show - I hope they will still be paid even if it’s not on for the ne t couple of weeks. Ant & Dec might be worth millions but I bet all the people involved in getting the show on the screen aren’t

umizoomi · 19/03/2018 23:49

I have sympathy for Dec, it's one big mess not of his doing. I have no sympathy for Ant re the drink driving, he should be punished appropriately, but I do feel for his with the addiction.

As for Dec ripping up contracts etc oh come on, you think ITV will allow that?!? It's not his choice, it's theirs.

Fortunately, no one was injured, including the child in the car. Although the family are milking it nicely for a few quid.

frasier · 19/03/2018 23:55

Now that their Saturday show has been cancelled (which I’ve never seen but seems to be popular) I think Dec will have to have a rethink. I’m sure a replacement for Ant would have been discussed when he was in rehab last year. I think it would work for Dec with someone else,

FlyingMonkeys · 20/03/2018 00:02

I do wonder what will happen to their £30 million ITV contract though? Depends on what the clauses are and if it's based on them being a duo, or not.

frasier · 20/03/2018 00:05

They must have some contingency for one of them being incapacitated though, it’s double the risk with two. Plus Dec and others must have known about Ant’s addiction and had a safety net.

Thisisanewbeginning · 20/03/2018 00:05

Well Ant has been lucky. Anyone who drives a car after drinking is an idiot.

My healthy happy aunt died in a drunk driving accident with my 18 month old cousin trapped in a car seat.

If I never see ant again I really won’t care

MsGameandWatching · 20/03/2018 00:05

In all the years they've been active I have never watched a full programme with them on. I know they present IACGMOOH and some talent show on Saturday evening so am obviously aware of them - how could anyone not be? Hmm - but I have never found them particularly watchable and maybe it's time they stepped back and gave someone else a chance.

Original poster
Bobbiepin · 20/03/2018 00:05

Ant was a fool to drink drive and his mum was a fool to let him.

No, he was not a fool, he was criminal and she was not a fool, she was complicit. She must have known. He's an addict. Not exactly the type to have one pint with a meal and go home.

@witchofzog I think that sums it up quite well.

OP posts:
Mymycherrypie · 20/03/2018 00:06

“The family are milking it nicely”

That’s an awful thing to say, if a drink driver smashed in to a car with your child in, do you think you wouldn’t be furious and want to tell everyone how badly that person had been driving? Especially a drink driver so beloved by the U.K. populace that people will accuse his victims of milking it. Have you seen the photo of the Mother’s smashed lip? By all accounts he was more bothered about his dogs. But yeah, the family, tsk... milking it obvs.

Original poster
Bobbiepin · 20/03/2018 00:07

@thisisanewbeginning that's truely awful. I'm so sorry for your loss Flowers

OP posts:
Mymycherrypie · 20/03/2018 00:08

That’s the victim Mother, not the enabalist Mother.

FlyingMonkeys · 20/03/2018 00:11

@frasier Apparently it's a six figure sum if one of them dies. In the case of self-inflicted events I can't see a policy paying out though.

At pp I'm so sorry regarding the loss of your aunt.