Ant got into presenting as a kid because of his ‘diverse accent’

When it comes to TV's biggest stars, it's fun to think back to where it all began and where they got their big break.

In the case of Ant, one half of presenting duo Ant and Dec who just keep raking in the awards for being so good at their jobs, you probably think it was back in the Byker Grove days.

That's what most reckon was his first big job on TV and would probably be called his big break, especially since it's where he first met Dec.

However, Ant actually got started in showbiz a little bit before that, and he had a strong Geordie accent to thank for it.

BBC

Before Byker Grove, Ant cut his presenting teeth on the BBC's kids show Why Don't You?, where gangs of kids would respond to letters sent into the show suggesting games they could play or things they could make.

Part of the reason Ant got picked to be a presenter on the show was because they were looking for 'local presenters and diverse accents', and with Ant's thick Geordie twang he was a shoo-in for the job.

He's never fully lost the accent that got him his first major job on the small screen, it's just not quite as thick as it was back in the early days of his career.

Since then he and Dec have gone on to score all sorts of presenting gigs and picked up a shedload of awards for it, with the pair currently fronting the latest series of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!

michael melia / Alamy Stock Photo

Ant and Dec got their first proper presenting gig together while still performing music as their Byker Grove characters PJ and Duncan, joining CITV show Gimme 5.

Speaking of PJ and Duncan, Poundland plays their song 'Let's Get Ready To Rhumble' as a not-so-secret code to the staff telling them to check around the store and have a bit of a tidy up.

Currently on our screens for I'm A Celeb, Ant recently unveiled a new tattoo paying tribute to music icon John Lennon.

At the heart of the tattoo is the word 'imagine', while that is surrounded by a copy of the Strawberry Fields mosaic that makes up part of the original memorial to The Beatles star.

One recent gig Ant and Dec missed was hosting the National Television Awards after falling unwell, though their absence didn't stop them from making it 21 years in a row winning the 'Best TV Presenter' award.

Topics: Celebrity, Ant McPartlin, Ant and Dec, TV and Film

Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

@MrJoeHarker