Is Ant McPartlin out of rehab now, what prescription drugs was the ITV star addicted to and what has Simon Cowell said?
AFTER being arrested and charged for drink-driving Ant McPartlin announced he was taking a break from TV for the foreseeable future.
Here is everything you need to know about his rehab stay and his painkiller addiction...
Is Ant McPartlin in rehab now?
Following an arrest for drink-driving, Ant decided to seek professional help for his alcohol problem by checking back into rehab.
In a statement released to The Sun, Ant's agent said: “Ant has decided to go back into treatment and step down from his current TV commitments.
"He has spoken with Dec and ITV and asked for time off for the foreseeable future.
"As such Saturday Night Takeaway will not be going ahead this Saturday.”
On March 20, 2018, The Sun revealed how Ant is only allowed his mum Christine Woodhall and co-host Declan Donnelly to visit him.
The Sun on Sunday broke the news Ant had left rehab after a month of treatment.
Ant, 42, was pictured walking in London with a female friend and his black labrador Hurley, smiling and clean-shaven.
What has Simon Cowell said about Ant's rehab stay?
Ahead of the Britain's Got Talent 2018 final, TV boss Simon Cowell gave Ant the thumbs-up to return to TV.
Simon blames the pressure of fame for Ant's troubles, but says the popular host is on the mend.
he said: “All of us over the years, in this business, have seen the pressure.
He said; “It’s a wake-up call; it’s as simple as that. He’s in the public eye, and I think maybe the pressure of everything was more than I realised. So when he comes back to the show, I will make sure there are psychiatrists and things in place.
“Look, there are people who are going to read that and say ‘Well, he’s very wealthy, blah, blah, blah’ but that doesn’t matter. Whoever you are, people can get to that place and he’s dealing with it now.
“We’ve been friends for a number of years and Ant taking a step back - for the sake of his health and the way he feels - is way more important than a TV show.”
Why was Ant arrested for drink driving?
On Sunday, March 18, Ant was involved in a three-car smash in Richmond, London.
Three days later the Met Police confirmed the TV star was being charged with drink driving.
The TV star was fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after pleading guilty to drink driving at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on April 16.
Speaking outside court he said: "I let myself down, I let a lot of people down. For that, I am truly sorry."
Why was Ant McPartlin in rehab in 2017?
In the summer of 2017 Ant checked into rehab for an addiction to painkillers.
He had been suffering from the problem for two years following a knee operation.
In a world exclusive interview with The Sun on Sunday, the presenter revealed how he was rushed to hospital after an "insane" pills binge.
He said: "I was at the point where anything - prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs - I would take.
"And take them with alcohol, which is ridiculous. The doctors told me, 'You could have killed yourself.' "
MORE ON ANT
What are the prescription drugs that Ant McPartlin was addicted to?
Ant was dependent on Tramadol - a highly addictive painkiller.
Ant was prescribed the drug following an operation on his knee in 2015.
Tramadol is used for pain relief after major surgery or for long-term conditions such as arthritis.
When Ant entered rehab for the first time he was put on an even stronger drug, OxyContin, which is an opiate and CAN HAVE similar withdrawal effects to heroin.
