From Heartbreak to Brotherhood – The Name That Stopped Fans in Their Tracks, Honoring a Bond Stronger Than Fame
LONDON – May 15, 2024 – Ant McPartlin has done it again—not with a cheeky prank on Britain’s Got Talent or a Saturday Night Takeaway flourish, but with a simple, soul-stirring announcement that’s left fans around the globe reaching for tissues. The 48-year-old TV icon, one half of the unstoppable Ant & Dec duo, revealed the name of his newborn son in a black-and-white Instagram post that’s already amassed over 2.5 million likes: Wilder Patrick McPartlin. Born at 8:54 a.m. on May 14, the 7-pound bundle of joy arrived via an “incredible” home birth with wife Anne-Marie Corbett, 46, who Ant called “a legend” in the caption. But it’s the middle name—Patrick—that’s the emotional haymaker, a heartfelt nod to Ant’s best friend turned brother, Declan Donnelly, whose own middle name is Patrick and who will serve as the baby’s godfather.
The post, shared on the duo’s joint @AntAndDec account, captures Ant cradling his son against his tattooed shoulder—a new family tree inked with dedications to Anne-Marie’s daughters, Poppy and Daisy, and their dogs Milo and Bumble (with Wilder’s initials soon to join). “Welcome to the family Wilder Patrick McPartlin,” Ant wrote, his words a mix of joy and raw vulnerability. “Baby is beautiful, Mummy’s a legend, Sisters are over the moon. Dad’s a mess.” Fans flooded the comments with adoration, but it was the Patrick reveal that hit like a thunderbolt. “The sweetest, purest tribute ever seen in showbiz,” one wrote, while another sobbed, “Dec must be bawling—brothers for life, now godfather forever. This stopped me in my tracks.”
This isn’t a trendy pick or a celebrity echo; it’s a profound homage to a bond forged in the fires of fame, heartbreak, and unbreakable loyalty. Ant and Dec’s friendship dates back to their soap opera days on Byker Grove in 1990, evolving into a partnership that’s defined British TV for three decades—hosting everything from I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! to the BAFTAs. But it’s the personal trenches they’ve navigated together that make Patrick’s inclusion so poignant. Ant’s 2017 spiral into addiction—fueled by grief over his brother’s death, a crumbling first marriage to Lisa Armstrong, and the pressures of superstardom—saw Dec standing sentinel. When Ant was arrested for drink-driving in 2018, Dec shouldered solo presenting duties on Britain’s Got Talent, publicly declaring, “I’ve got your back, always.” Ant later credited Dec with saving his life: “He’s my brother in every way that matters. Without him, I wouldn’t be here.”
Dec, 49, who shares two children with wife Ali Aate, Izzy and Jack, was “over the moon” at the news, per sources close to the duo. He’ll step into godfather duties with the same quiet devotion he’s shown Ant through comebacks, including Ant’s 2021 wedding to Anne-Marie—his former PA—and their IVF journey to parenthood. “Patrick is Dec’s middle name, but it’s so much more,” a friend told The Sun. “It’s Ant saying, ‘You’ve been my rock—now you’re family eternal.’”
The outpouring has been seismic. Celebs like Alesha Dixon (“Awwwww darling I’m so happy for you both!”) and Davina McCall (“Arggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!! This is AMAZING !!!! Congratulations to ALL of you”) flooded the post, while fans shared stories of how Ant & Dec’s camaraderie inspired their own friendships. “A gesture only someone with a truly loyal heart could make,” one tweeted, echoing the sentiment that’s propelled #WilderPatrick to trend worldwide.
For Ant, fatherhood at 48—after years of heartbreak and a “mess” of emotions—is a milestone sweetened by this tribute. As he embarks on paternity leave, one thing’s clear: Wilder Patrick McPartlin arrives not just into a family, but a legacy of love that fame can’t touch. From Geordie lads to global icons, Ant and Dec prove brotherhood is the ultimate comeback story.
