Declan Donnelly has openly admitted to accidentally shoplifting from Bridgwater Services on the M5, confessing that he “broke the law” and “nearly got arrested”. The well-known television presenter and part of the celebrated duo Ant and Dec shared the incident during their “Hanging Out With Ant And Dec” podcast.
The mishap occurred as Dec was returning home to London with his wife, Ali Astall, following a holiday in Cornwall. The couple stopped at Bridgwater Services for a meal and visited the on-site Marks & Spencer, where they selected sandwiches, crisps, and a sweet treat.
Describing the moment, Dec explained how he used the self-service checkout but failed to pay for the items. “I start bleeping it. Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep. I haven’t got a bag. It’s too much to carry. I’m going to have to get a bag for life. So, I get one of the bags. Bleep that. Put everything in the bag. Bleep me Sparks card. And then I just walk off. I just walked off. I put everything in the bag. Bleeped me Sparks card. Didn’t pay for anything,” he recalled.
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It was only when Dec had begun eating his sandwich that he realised he had not paid. He informed his wife, who was surprised by the oversight. Attempting to rectify the situation, Dec tried to contact Bridgwater Services by phone but was unsuccessful.
He then reached out to his team for assistance, concerned about the consequences given his public profile. His team eventually made contact with the services, explaining the mistake and that Dec was “eating the spoils.”
When Dec enquired about how to make amends, the staff responded, “Thank you for your honesty, but honestly, there’s nothing we can do now, but please make a donation to our charity.”
Following this advice, Dec made a donation slightly exceeding the cost of the items he took. He joked about being “slightly out of pocket,” to which Ant quipped that Marks & Spencer might reconsider sponsoring their podcast.
This candid admission highlights the challenges public figures can face when navigating everyday mishaps under public scrutiny, and the importance of honesty in resolving unintended mistakes.