Ant McPartlin's love story with wife Anne-Marie as couple welcome first baby
The couple have named their son Wilder
Ant McPartlin and his wife Anne-Marie have celebrated the birth of their first baby together, three years after tying the knot.
The couple welcomed their baby boy on Tuesday 14 May 14, with proud dad Ant telling fans on Instagram that they had named him Wilder. “Baby is beautiful, Mummy’s a legend, Sisters are over the moon, Dad’s a mess!” he wrote.
The TV star’s famous friends have flocked to congratulate him, with former This Morning host Holly Willoughby calling it “beautiful news” as she wrote “Welcome to the world Wilder” on Instagram. Myleene Klass said she was “over the moon” and Ant’s Britain’s Got Talent pal Amanda Holden chimed in: “Oh my gosh, this is just the most amazing news. Congratulations.”
As the family settle in with their new arrival, we have a look back at Ant and Anne-Marie’s relationship.
How Ant & Anne-Marie's relationship started
Saturday Night Takeaway star Ant was married to make-up artist Lisa Armstrong for 12 years, but in January 2018 confirmed they were splitting.
That summer, rumours started swirling about Ant dating Anne-Marie, who was his assistant. The presenter played his cards close to his chest at first but later opened up about his romance in an interview with The Sun, in which he called Anne-Marie his “rock”.
The star said the pair had worked together for many years but that “something changed” and romance blossomed.
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In April 2018 Ant pleaded guilty to drink-driving after he was found to be more than twice the legal alcohol limit while driving in London, and he later sought treatment for alcohol struggles.
Opening up to The Sun, he said of his girlfriend: “Anne-Marie honestly is the fundamental reason for the great change in my life. She’s been my rock. She’s a beautiful soul. We’re very happy.”
Ant & Anne-Marie got married in 2021
The couple walked down the aisle in 2021, exchanging vows at St Michael's Church in Heckfield, Hampshire.
They moved on to lavish 5-star hotel Heckfield Place for their reception, where Ant’s presenting partner and close friend Dec — who was his best man — apparently gave a moving speech in which he said Ant was the best friend a man could have.
The wedding was a star-studded affair, with the likes of Cat Deeley, Dermot O’Leary, Christine Lampard and Alesha Dixon among the guests.
Ant & Anne-Marie's baby news
Earlier this year talk started about Ant and Anne-Marie having a baby. The TV star fuelled the gossip when he referred to himself as a dad in an interview.
He and Dec had been chatting to Fault magazine and they were asked what they had on their plates. Ant said they had a lot of TV on but also reflected on how they needed time with family. "We’ve both got children that we need to spend time with for a little bit,” he said.
Ant's relationship with stepdaughters and tribute tattoo
Anne-Marie has two daughters from a former relationship: Poppy and Daisy. And it seems Ant is very close to the girls.
When he shared his first peek at Wilder on Instagram, eagle-eyed fans noticed that the celeb had a tattoo of a tree on his shoulder. The tree had name panels entwined in the branches, and the names Daisy and Poppy could be seen.
The beautiful tribute also included the name “Amzie”, presumably a nickname for Ant’s wife. Other panels bore the names Milo and Bumble, the TV star’s two dogs.
