Ant & Dec

Ant & Dec tell Andy Greeves why Chiswick is their ‘home from home’

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Anthony Mc Partlin and Declan Donnelly admit it was love at first sight. Having just arrived in London in the mid-1990’s, the pair met some friends in Chiswick one night and fell instantly for the charms of the buzzing West London suburb.

“When we first moved down from Newcastle, we rented flats in Chelsea and Fulham and a mate of ours had a place in Chiswick,” recalls Ant. “We’d often go out on Chiswick High Road and we got a good feel for the area straight away.”

“I can still picture our first visit to Chiswick, having a drink in a bar alongside the Thames and I think Ant and myself were both sold on the area straightaway,” adds Dec.

Ant & Dec moved to the capital in 1994 with their first presenting job on a show

called Gimme 5. Further slots on children’sTV shows followed this, including their own series The Ant & Dec Show shown on the BBC from 1995 to 1997. They also

presented the award-winning CITV series SM:TV (later CD:UK) with old friend Cat Deeley on ITV until 2001. It was round about the time Ant & Dec landed their first primetime presenting jobs, on the BBC Saturday-night game show Friends Like These in 1999, that they achieved something of a property aspiration by buying neighbouring properties in Chiswick.

Their new homes served them well and they stayed put until Ant got married some ten years later. Both agree that Chiswick’s appeal to them when they first came to London remains as strong today and the area has more than lived up to their expectations. “It helped knowing the area so well before we actually moved here,” smiles Ant. “When we finally got our homes here, we were really grateful. “The pubs and restaurants in the area are fantastic and there is always a lot going on. Chiswick has quite a village vibe about it which is very appealing. You feel like you are slightly removed from the madness of central London there.” Chiswick history has repeated itself for Ant & Dec, who have recently become neighbours in the area for a second time. Dec has purchased a 1930’s mock-Tudor home just a three doors down from Ant’s £2.3m home, which he plans to develop into a modern bachelor pad. “It’s quite incredible how things have worked out,” comments Dec. “I can remember Ant moving to this area after having visited my place in Chiswick and we ended up being neighbours as a property became available pretty much next door. Now I’ve moved in a few doors from Ant, as once again a house a stone’s throw away from him just happened to come on the market at the right time.”

Both Ant & Dec confirm that Chiswick is likely to be their permanent residence while they remain in London. “While Newcastle will always be our native home, Chiswick is our home from home,” says Dec. “Chiswick is also very well located for my wife’s work in Oxford. She can get to the M40 quickly and it’s also the right side of town for

Heathrow airport for when I fly home to Newcastle,” adds Ant. And why would they go anywhere else. Much in the same way that Ant & Dec talk up their home city of Newcastle, they are massive advocates of all that Chiswick has to offer. “I could give you an endless list of places I like going to in Chiswick,” says Ant. “The

Roebuck, Barley Mow, City Barge and Station House are some of my favourite pubs and bars, while I also love going to Sam’s Brasserie and Bar and the new menu at Pilot since its refurbishment is brilliant.” “What I’ve always thought about Chiswick is that it doesn’t feel like living in London as such,” continues Dec. “There’s something very appealing about sitting in a riverside pub during the winter, watching boats going up and down the water while you are all warm and content inside. You are really spoilt for choice as far as bars and restaurants go. My favourite is the High

Road Brasserie and I’m also going to have to mention Nandos, because the food is so tasty.” Continuing the ‘home from home’ theme is the presence of so many football clubs within close proximity of Chiswick, where they can watch their beloved Newcastle United play. “I never in all my years thought I’d be so happy about QPR’s promotion to the Premiership,” laughs Ant. “We’ve now got them, Fulham and Chelsea on our doorstep, as well as the other London clubs. All we need now is for Brentford to get promoted – that would be ideal.”

Ant & Dec return to our screens this autumn with a new series of Red or Black. Visit their website at www.officialantanddec.com