Inside Declan Donnelly's 'painful' split from famous ex to I'm A Celeb romance

Declan Donnelly, the host of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! has been happily married since 2015 and is a proud father to two adorable children. He first graced our screens in the 1980s as part of the Byker Grove ensemble. Dec, alongside his best mate Ant McPartlin, has since become a household name on British television, presenting ITV shows like Saturday Night Takeaway and Britain's Got Talent.

However, Dec's romantic history has also seen him associated with some famous women. Despite now being blissfully married to Ali Astall, he was once rumoured to be dating an I'm A Celeb campmate. As Dec is a regular on our TV screens, we delve into Declan's love life, reports OK!.

First love

His first serious romance was with actress Clare Buckfield, known for her roles in 2.4 Children and CBBC's Grange Hill. They initially hit it off, but decided to call it quits in 2003.

Dec stated that their hectic schedules made it difficult for them to maintain their relationship. He didn't dismiss the idea of rekindling their romance - although this never materialised.

According to the Daily Star, a number of other individuals were later linked to the cheeky lad from Newcastle. These included personalities such as Sarah Cawood and Diana Stewart; however, all these dalliances would eventually peter out.

Close relationships and 'painful' breakups

Following his return to singledom, the presenter found himself connected romantically with several different women, notably Sky Sports host Georgie Thompson.

The duo struck up a connection and began courting in January 2009.

Throughout their courtship, Dec and Georgie enjoyed a passionate romance, appearing smitten and more content than ever before.

The couple remained together for two years before unexpectedly announcing their separation via a statement shared on Twitter, now known as X.

Following two months of quiet, host Georgie finally spoke out about the split in June 2011, revealing: "It's been painful".

Georgie suggested that Dec's reluctance to commit had caused their relationship to crumble.

"It's been tough, it's really tough," she continued. "It's a really hard thing to live out a painful break-up when you're in the public eye. It hurts but we have to be grown-up about it."

Since that time, the former couple have mended their relationship and maintained their friendship.

Georgie revealed that despite the shock of their unexpected separation, she would never speak ill of the television personality.

I'm A Celeb romance speculation

Dec was spotted getting close with former jungle resident and Pussycat Dolls vocalist Ashley Roberts.

Prior to their romantic connection, Roberts had openly expressed her attraction to the Geordie presenter, stating: "I would like to get to know Dec better. It would be nice to go for a drink and a chat."

Despite growing closer following her jungle appearance in 2012, their romantic connection ultimately diminished.

Nevertheless, they've remained close mates, with Ashley even turning up to Dec's nuptials with Ali Astall in 2015.

Fairy tale ending

Ali and Dec had been collaborating professionally, with Ali serving as Dec's manager.

They worked alongside each other for a decade, so their romance came as a shock, but it blossomed into genuine love.

Dec had revealed there was chemistry between him and his spouse before they became an item, but he was nervous about pursuing a relationship due to their professional ties.

He did confess, however, that they would venture out for Valentine's Day dinners when both were single.

And as you might have anticipated, Ant served as Dec's best man. Stars including Holly Willoughby and Tess Daly were also present at the celebrity-packed ceremony.

Since then, Dec and Ali have brought two gorgeous children into the world. The couple continue to work professionally, whilst also nurturing their marriage.

Dec said of his partner: "I felt a love that I didn't realise it was possible to feel."