Declan Donnelly has admitted he "broke the law" and "nearly got arrested" after a shoplifting incident at Bridgwater Services. As TV presenting icons, Dec and his long-standing co-host and friend Ant McPartlin are among the most recognisable faces in Britain, with wholesome reputations to maintain.
For someone so well known, an innocent mistake can quickly become front-page news. Dec acknowledges he made exactly that kind of blunder while returning from a Cornish holiday with his wife, Ali Astall.
The couple stopped at Bridgwater Services on the M5 to grab some food on their journey back to London. After visiting the on-site M&S, Dec and Ali picked out some sandwiches, crisps, and a "little sweet treat" for dessert.
Speaking on the Hanging Out With Ant And Dec podcast, he revealed: "I nearly got arrested yesterday. I nearly didn't make it here today. I could have got arrested yesterday. I broke the law yesterday."
While recounting his tale, Ant observed that nothing up to that point had been "arrest material", but Dec continued. He explained they added a "little bang bang chicken" before making their way to the self-service checkout.
"So I start bleeping it. Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep. I haven't got a bag. It's too much to carry. I'm going to have to get a bag for life. So, I get one of the bags. Bleep that. Put everything in the bag. Bleep me Sparks card. And then I just walk off. I just walked off. I put everything in the bag. Bleeped me Sparks card. Didn't pay for anything."
Ant branded his mate a "thief" before questioning when he'd cottoned on to leaving without settling up. "As I was tucking into me egg and maple bacon sandwich", came the reply. Ant called him a "dirty, criminal git".
"As I was tucking into me sandwich, I turned to the current Mrs D and I said with a mouth full of egg and bacon sandwich. I went, 'I haven't paid for this'. She went, 'What do you mean? What do you mean?' I went, 'I haven't paid for it. I bleeped me Sparks card, and I just left'."
Dec attempted to ring the services to confess to his blunder, but couldn't get through. Instead, he phoned his team for assistance, expressing concern about potential arrest given they knew his identity.
Ant highlighted that, as one of Britain's most recognisable faces, he couldn't "get away" with such conduct. Dec's team successfully contacted the services to clarify he'd inadvertently shoplifted and was "eating the spoils".
When enquiring how to put things right, Dec says they were informed: "Thank you for your honesty, but honestly, there's nothing we can do now, but please make a donation to our charity."
He revealed that he paid the donation, giving "slightly more" than the price of the sandwiches. Dec jested that he was "slightly out of pocket", while Ant quipped that M&S would no longer be sponsoring the podcast.
Declan Donnelly Admits Breaking Law at Bridgwater Services