Flat out on the Dec? Ant will survive

Cheer up, fella - it might never ha... oh, right. Yeah.

In case you somehow missed the widespread coverage this week, TV presenter Ant McPartlin has been fined and banned from getting behind the wheel after pleading guilty to drink driving.

Quite right too. The incident could have resulted in serious injury for those involved, and no-one should be driving when even a small amount over the drink drive limit, let alone be more than twice the legal maximum that the star registered when breathalysed after the incident by police.

McPartlin’s actions resulted in a three-car collision, which he accepted “full responsibility” for, and admitted that he was “ashamed and mortified” but “thankful no-one was hurt”.

It has resulted in a 20 month ban for Ant, and an £86,000 fine, which is believed to be among the biggest dished out for such an offence. Here lies the problem, though. If you happen to earn the £130,000 a week that he does, having someone drive you to appointments for the next couple of years isn’t exactly going to empty your bank account.

Similarly, whilst an £86k fine would bankrupt most of us immediately, it isn’t even five days-worth of pay for the shamed celeb.

True, his earning potential has definitely taken a hit for the time being, but recent form suggests he’ll bounce back pretty quickly, as long as he manages to take advantage of the help available for his “alcohol and emotional issues”. Again, with a level of income most of us can only dream about, the quality of that help should be top notch, and available 24/7.

In a moment of extreme irony a BBC film crew, reporting on the court case outside Wimbledon Magistrate’s Court, inadvertently caught a car crash on film. Some things you can’t make up.

During sentencing, the District Judge acknowledged that Ant’s accident occurred when he was “struggling with various personal problems and also alcohol issues”.

She went on to note his prior “exemplary character”, pointing out that she thought it would “have quite an impact on you to know you’re no longer a man of good character”. McPartlin’s barrister also highlighted that his client knew his public status meant he should provide a positive example to others, and that his appearance in court was a “turning point”.

Let’s hope so. The star of shows like Saturday Night Takeaway and Britain’s Got Talent, with his presenting partner Declan Donnelly, brings joy to millions of viewers. They aren’t my cup of tea, but I can certainly understand their appeal and long career. The cheeky, chirpy, duo make fun television and have reaped the rewards in terms of fame, fortune and awards.

Unfortunately, success doesn’t always bring happiness, and Ant’s struggles are indeed sad. I wish him well, and a full recovery from his problems.

For those not in his fortunate financial position, a court appearance, fine and ban could well see them lose their job too. That Ant has proven himself, publically, to have very human failings, will only endear him further to many of his fans. It’s unlikely to have permanently damaged his career, either.

This post first appeared as the lead piece in my column/page in The Mail and the News & Star, on the 20th of April 2018. 

Not much I can add to this, and I haven't seen a copy of the paper yet, so I don't know if they re-titled it either. I wouldn't complain if they did - not my strongest effort!

*update: They went with "Failings will endear Ant to fans". Maybe mine wasn't so bad after all...*

(CD A-Z: CDs un-boxed, but I haven't found where I was to yet. XTC, mid-period, I think...)