Image copyright PA Ant McPartlin has spoken publically for the first time about being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The TV presenter said the diagnosis “made sense” as “there are a lot of links to alcohol dependency”.
He also spoke to The Sun about his relationship with Declan Donnelly, who he has just returned to work with.
McPartlin was convicted of drink-driving in April and cancelled TV presenting jobs for the rest of 2018.
He said that during his recovery and ADHD diagnosis: “I was so thoroughly examined and diagnosed, I found stuff out about me I hadn’t addressed for years.
“There’s a lot of characteristics that held me in good stead working in live television. Richard [Bacon] said the same.
“In my job, having what they call ‘popcorn thinking’ is good because it means you can jump from one thing to another. Professionally, it’s brilliant. Personally, I’m all over the place.”
Bacon, a former presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live, was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 42 and acknowledged Ant’s comments about him on Twitter.
ADHD organisations and people with the condition also tweeted their support for Ant.
In The Sun’s interview, Ant, 43, addressed the strain the last year has put on his relationship with Dec, who was forced to present some Britain’s Got Talent and Saturday Night Takeaway episodes alone last year after Ant stepped back.
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Ant said: “I saw Dec the day after the crash and we didn’t even speak about work.
“It wasn’t about that. It was about, ‘How are you?’ I said: ‘I’m not right.’ You know, mentally I wasn’t in a good place.”
Ant returned to work for the first time on Friday to take part in the recording of Britain’s Got Talent auditions, saying he now feels ready to work again.
He said: “I am absolutely gagging to get going. I’m a bit anxious, a bit nervous, but ultimately a feeling of excitement and happiness.
“It’s been a long time. I want to be back doing what we do. I’m lucky that I love my job. I just want to get back to that.”
What is ADHD?
- Symptoms include inattentiveness, hyperactivity, impulsiveness, anxiety and sleep problems
- ADHD was first recognised as a valid condition in the UK in 2000, but not officially recognised as an adult condition until 2008
- In 1990 only 40 children in the UK were on medical treatment, which means many adults have not been not treated or managed properly
- At least a third of these are likely to have significant ongoing problems as adults
- An estimated 30% of adult prisoners have ADHD
- ADHD affects 5% of children and 3% of adults (1.5 million) in the UK, making it the most common behavioural disorder in the country
- About a third of children are diagnosed, while for adults it is about 7-8%
Source: ADHD Action
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