Declan Joseph Oliver Donnelly

Declan Joseph Oliver 'Dec' Donnelly (born 25 September 1975) is most famously known as one half of the English comedy and television presenting duo Ant & Dec, with the other being Anthony McPartlin He came to prominence

in the children's drama series Byker Grove and as one half of the pop music duo PJ & Duncan. Since then, Ant & Dec have had a very successful career as TV presenters, presenting programmes such as: They have also returned to acting, starring in a 2002 Tribute to The Likely Lads and the 2006 film Alien Autopsy.

Career
First appearing on television in the children's workshop programme Why Don't You?, Dec rose to prominence portraying PJ in the Children's BBC series Byker Grove. Also a cast member of the show was future partner Declan Donnelly, portraying the character Duncan. Life soon imitated art as the duo became the best of friends not only on set, but outside the series as well. Under the name "PJ & Duncan AKA", they enjoyed considerable success recording several hit records, kicking off with a song that they had performed on ''Byker Grove called "Tonight I'm Free."

Since his departure from the series in 1993, Ant has appeared with Dec in such programmes as SMTV Live, Friends Like These, Pop Idol, Britain's Got Talent, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, PokerFace and Push the Button. He has also returned to acting, along with Dec, starring in a 2002 Tribute to The Likely Lads and the 2006 film Alien Autopsy.

In April 2009, along with Ant, Dec gained world-wide exposure when the duo interviewed contestant Susan Boyle as backstage commentators for Britain's Got Talent. Boyle's audition - complete with reactions from A&D - went on to become the most viewed YouTube video of the year and her record-breaking album topped sales charts in dozens of countries.

Personal Life
Dec was the best man at Ant's wedding to Lisa Armstrong on 22 July 2006.

He is currently in a relationship with Ali Astall.

Controversy
In 2007 it was discovered that two shows, Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, which he co-presented with Donnelly, had defrauded viewers participating in phone-ins. The latter was produced by the pair's own production company.