EXCLUSIVE: ITV hosting duo Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly turned down going on a popular TV show according to it's former host Dave Benson Phillips – and here's why…
90s telly legend reveals Ant and Dec refused to go on his show for strange reason
EXCLUSIVE: ITV hosting duo Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly turned down going on a popular TV show according to it's former host Dave Benson Phillips – and here's why…
Dave hosted the show for it's entirety
Children's TV presenter Dave Benson Phillips has confessed why Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly turned down appearing on his iconic programme.
Dave is best known for hosting BBC's Get Your Own Back, which was an extremely popular long-running children's programme that ran for 14 series from 1991 until 2004.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Star about his telly past, Dave revealed why the Geordie duo let him down.
Dave explained: “We had asked Ant and Dec to come on but they didn't end up coming on because they didn't want to be seen doing a children's program, because they were kind of moving them into a different slot which was more for the adult.
Ant and Dec turned down Get Your Own Back(Image: Getty Images)
“I wonder what's happened to those two, you never hear from them anymore…” he joked.
The star added: “The other two that wanted to do it was Jonathan Ross and his brother, Paul Ross, and they were desperate to do it. I've met quite a few members of the Ross family over the years, and these two had beef, and they really wanted to go on television and sort it out.
“But unfortunately, Mr Ross at the time was going across and reporting for the film series, reporting on the Oscars and everything else. And of course he didn't get a chance to go on. We had the nicest response from them, though, saying that he really wanted to go on the show, and his brother did as well.
Jonathon Ross really wanted to go on the show(Image: ITV)
“Those would have been the two greats.
“We need to do bring it back though, maybe as an adult version. When we took it to the Fringe, we had a lot of comedians on so it does work. I'd love to do it.”
The TV legend, now 60, has also spoken about his health journey after being diagnosed with a condition that “rocked his world”.
In recent years, Dave has been managing Type 2 diabetes, and now wants to speak openly about the emotional and mental weight of the condition.
Dave shared: “After the doctor told me ‘Look, you've got diabetes'. It was one of those things where it was a real shock. It really did rock my world. I was unprepared for it. That was a very scary thing to be told that information, and it was quite the weight upon me. I didn't handle it very well.”
Dave wants to spread awareness for the condition(Image: Redferns)
Despite having the unwavering support from his lovely wife Emma, who he met on set of Get Your Own Back, and his teenage son, who is now 15.
Dave explained: “There are people that I've met over the years, since becoming diagnosed with it all and they had great attitudes. They had great mentors around them. They had a great community, in the sense of, they were not alone, whereas I, for some reason, felt that I was alone, that it was just me.”
Dave wears the Dexcom ONE+, a continuous glucose monitor that helps him track his glucose levels to manage his Type 2 diabetes. It's small, fast and easy to use, helping to simplify diabetes management for those with Type 2.
He added: “Now, I'm using the Dexcom, it has been a joy. It monitors my sugar levels, and all of that the glucose levels, and it does it constantly for 10 days.
“Whereas prick tests are difficult or sometimes not very convenient, and sometimes when sitting at the table, it can weird people out. So, this is amazing and it means I can be my own conscience.”