Declan Donnelly may have gone it alone on screen — but his solo stint proved seriously lucrative. During Ant McPartlin’s year-long hiatus following his drink-driving scandal in 2018, Dec kept the showbiz ship sailing solo and, in doing so, pocketed an eye-watering sum.
While Ant took time away to recover and enter rehab, Dec fronted high-profile shows like Britain’s Got Talent, Saturday Night Takeaway, and even stepped in on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! alongside Holly Willoughby.
According to financial documents released in 2020, Dec earned an astonishing £5.28 million between June 2018 and June 2019 via his company, Deecourt Limited — averaging around £14,000 per day. That’s a £1,000 daily increase compared to the year before.
Despite Ant’s absence from their iconic double act, Dec’s earnings remained strong, bolstered by shared ventures the duo still co-owned.
Ant, meanwhile, was fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months following his 2018 crash, which involved multiple vehicles and a blood alcohol level more than double the legal limit.
Thankfully, Ant made a full return to TV in 2019, reuniting with Dec. But for a year, it was Declan Donnelly flying solo — and getting paid like a prime-time powerhouse.
