Ant McPartlin made his much-anticipated return to TV screens on the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! launch on Sunday night.
The presenter, 42, looked healthier and happier than ever and showed off a deep bronzed tan from his time in Australia, as he confidently fronted the first episode with his co-host Declan Donnelly.
Addressing his recent stint in rehab however, Dec opened the show by playfully joking he was planning to replace Ant with Holly Willoughby – quipping: ‘No one was sure if you would make it or not!’
Playful: Declan Donnelly playfully joked he was planning to replace Ant McPartlin with Holly Willoughby following his stint in rehab, during the first episode of I’m A Celebrity
Beaming widely for cameras and walking to their famous perch in the jungle for the first time this series, Ant proved he was back to his best – after a summer battling his drink and drug addictions.
In the duo’s usual witty style however, Dec immediately opened the show by joking about his friend’s much-anticipated return.
He said to viewers: ‘I’m here with the gorgeous Holly Willoughby…’ before adding in mock horror: ‘Wait, no! Guys that’s the wrong script!’
Hilarious: Dec immediately opened the show by joking about his friend’s much-anticipated return
Awkward: He said to viewers: ‘I’m here with the gorgeous Holly Willoughby…’ before adding in mock horror: ‘Wait, no! Guys that’s the wrong script!’ – in reference to Ant’s recent rehab stint
Turning to Ant, who was stood in mock outrage, Dec then continued the joke by stating: ‘No one was sure if you would make it or not!’
Confirming to fans he was better than ever however, the famous Geordie assured: ‘I was always going to make it, come on.’
He then added excitedly: ‘I’m back my friend!’, before the pair sweetly hugged, to the applause of the production crew.
The launch marked Ant’s much-anticipated return to TV screens, following his stint in rehab over the summer.
Ant has suffered a difficult 2017, after admitting in June he had been battling a two-year addiction to painkillers after a devastating knee injury and fertility issues.
Ant revealed his plans to check in to rehab for alcohol and drug addiction, when he gave a candid interview to The Sun admitting he had ‘let people down’, before thanking his wife Lisa Armstrong and co-star Declan for the support they had provided.
While he hasn’t been joined by wife Lisa out in Oz, due to her working commitments on Strictly Come Dancing as a make-up artist, she made sure to hit back at the speculation, breaking her silence on the duo’s rumoured ‘marriage woes’.
Lisa had hit back at the long-running reports that the duo have separated by taking to Twitter, as she penned on the microblogging site: ‘I’m not estranged, thank you’.
Her defiant message also touched on her absence in Australia, as she added the hashtags: ‘#haventbeentoOzfor10years #ihaveajob #allaloadofmadeups**t #imnotestrangedthank-you #asyouwere’.
Ant also celebrated his 42nd birthday over the weekend, but he kept his celebrations low-key, thanks to his TV endeavours.
An insider told MailOnline: ‘They are in bed by 5pm, so there’s no partying. They have to be up at 2am for work. A little golf in the afternoon is sometimes on the cards but they mostly chill in their apartment and by the pool…
‘It’s Ant’s birthday but he is going to be working. It’s the first day for the celebs; they meet each other for the first time in the morning.’
Ant and Dec have presented I’m A Celebrity since its inaugural series in 2002.
Feeling good: Ant also celebrated his 42nd birthday over the weekend, proving he was back to his best