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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Amy Denman

I'm A Celebrity host Dec Donnelly's family life as filming will be 'different' this year

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! is set to finally return to the Australian jungle this year after two years at Gwrych Castle in Wales.

Although hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are returning to familiar territory with the show making a comeback to the Australian jungle, things won't be the same for the pair as they used to be.

This year has already proven to be rather different as dad-of-two Dec, 47, landed Down Under with his wife Ali Astall and his two children Isla, four, and baby son Jack, who's birth was announced in July this year, in tow.

Ant and Dec are back for another series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! (James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

It marks the first time Dec has flown Down Under for I'm A Celeb with both children and his wife Ali all together.

Here, we take a look at Dec's family life as he brings his brood Down Under with him this year.

How is I'm A Celeb different for Dec this year?

As he touched down at Brisbane Airport following a 22 hour-long flight, Dec remarked how the journey across the other side of the world has changed for him.

Dec was snapped carrying his baby son Jack as he arrived in Australia (SplashNews.com)
Dec and Ali share two children together (Getty Images)

He said: " We have got the family here, baby Jack. And Isla is here, we have got the whole gang.

"It is a bit more stressful coming now, you watch less movies," he joked. "But it is fine and great to be able to bring them out.

"We can have a bit of family time as well as getting the series going as well."

Dec joked the journey was a bit more 'stressful' this time around (SplashNews.com)

And Dec has already been spotted enjoying some quality time with his family with a trip to the beach – before he was later finally reunited with pal Ant, 46, ahead of the series.

Like previous series, the dup will still be staying at the luxurious £1,800 per night Palazzo Versace hotel. But, it's not known if the pair will be able to spend as much time on the golf course as they usually do during filming for the ITV series.

How did Dec meet his wife Ali Astall?

TV star Dec had worked with Ali as his talent manager for 10 years before anything became romantic between the pair.

The pair then started dating in 2014. Speaking about their romance the Dec previously told the Daily Express : "We always hung out.

Dec and Ali tied the knot in 2015 (PA)

"When she was single and I was single we'd go out for dinner on Valentine's Day together.

"Last year we went out as a couple. It was a little strange because we've had a working relationship for so long."

After a year of dating, Ali and Dec wed in 2015, in a ceremony in St Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Elswick in Newcastle and was officiated by Dec's beloved brother Dermott, who died earlier this year.

Dec and Ali's children

Declan and Ali are proud parents to two children; Isla Elizabeth Anne Donnelly, who was born in September 2018, and Jack Anthony Alphonsus, who came into the world in July 2022.

Ali gave birth to Isla in 2018 and Jack in 2022 (PA Wire)

Dec announced the birth of his daughter in 2018 with a tweet which read: "Ali and I are thrilled to announce the arrival of our baby girl, Isla Elizabeth Anne, who was born just after 9 o’clock this morning."

He continued: "Mother and daughter both doing well, Dad is head over heels! D x."

Four years later, in July this year, Dec announced the arrival of his son Jack.

As he tweeted a sweet photo of his newborn son's hand wrapped around his finger, Dec wrote: "Shortly before 10am yesterday, 23.7.2022, Ali and I welcomed the arrival of our son, Jack Anthony Alphonsus, a very welcome ray of light. He is wonderful and Isla is beyond excited to be a big sister! D x".

Dec gave a nod to his TV bestie Ant when choosing a moniker for his son as the tot's middle name is Anthony, which also honours the TV presenter's late dad, too.

Dec's life as a dad

Dec tends to keep his kids away from the limelight but has, on occasion, shared insights into his life as a father.

Dec gushed over life as a dad in his joint book with pal Ant (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

In Ant & Dec’s book, Once Upon a Tyne – released in 2020 – Dec opened up about becoming a dad as he said: "Becoming a dad has completely transformed me. At first, like all expectant parents, I didn't truly understand how much it was going to change me.

"I just thought it was another little person coming to live in the house... It opened up a whole other side to me, a side I didn't know existed.

"I felt a love that I didn't realise it was possible to feel. Everything I do, every day, is for my daughter now."

And in May this year, Dec opened up to This Morning hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield about his daughter's bedtime routine as he promoted his first ever children's book, Propa Happy – co-created with Ant.

Speaking of his book, which he said helps encourage children to think positively about their days, Dec said: "We do it with Isla now at night time, we'll sit there and talk about the nice things we've done during the day and it really has an effect on me as well when we do that."

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