Declan Donnelly reveals ‘strange’ start to relationship with wife Ali Astall

Just like the jungle campmates, I’m a Celebrity hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are miles away from home where they live with their wives and children.

Dec, 49, has been married to his wife Ali Astall for nine years but the start of their relationship was “strange”, as the ITV star put it. “It’s going good. Everything’s hunky-dory,” the TV presenter said back in 2013.

“It was a little strange because we’ve had a working relationship for so long. But because it just happened there was no big ta-da. Things couldn’t be better for me at the minute.”

Ali worked as Dec’s manager for over a decade before their love story began. Prior to getting together, the Newcastle native dated Grange Hill actress Clare Buckfield for 10 years between 1993 and 2003, and television presenter Georgie Thompson from 2009 to 2011.

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Dec and Ali’s love story

The pair started dating in 2014 before announcing their engagement in December of that same year. The Saturday Night Takeaway host popped the big question on an Australian beach at sunset before travelling to film I’m A Celebrity.

“We went round to one side of the island, the only place on the island where you can see the sun set, and we just went round and we watched the sunset go down and we did it there, it was lovely,” Dec revealed at the time.

The couple went on to tie the knot at St Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Elswick in a ceremony officiated by the star’s brother Father Dermott Donnelly who sadly passed away in 2022.

Ant performed best man duties on the day and their reception was held at the rural 300-acre estate Matfen Hall.

Dec and Ali are now parents to two children – a daughter named Isla Elizabeth Anne Donnelly who was born in September 2018 and a son Jack Anthony Alphonsus Donnelly whom they welcomed in July 2022.

DISCOVER:  Declan Donnelly and wife Ali Astall pictured on rare date night away from kids Isla and Jack

The star, who made his name on Byker Grove, keeps his family life out of the public eye but it has been reported that he took on a special role earlier this year when he was made godfather of Ant’s first child Wilder McPartlin.