TV FAVOURITE Ant McPartlin spoke of his 'rough 12 months' while accepting the award for Best Presenter at last night's NTA awards.
The Geordie presenter was accepting the award alongside his co-host Declan Donnelly at the prestigious awards bash in London last night.
The duo, who host I'm A Celebrity and Saturday Night Takeaway, were collecting the Best Presenter award for the seventeenth year in a row.
Accepting the award, McPartlin said: "It's been a very emotional night tonight.
"It's been quite a tough 12 months, so winning this tonight really means a lot.
Ant held back the tears as he confessed to a 'rough year' in his acceptance speech. (Picture: NTAs/ITV)"Thank you to all of you for all of your support, it really means the world to me and has helped me get through," he said as he hugged friend and co-host Dec Donnelly.
"It has been quite the year, this has really topped it off," Dec said.
"Thank you so much to every body who has taken the time to vote for us, we really appreciate it.
"Possibly this year more than others," Dec added.
ITV co-stars Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield looked on as the pair made the emotional speech.
ITV co-stars Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield looked on as Ant and Dec made the emotional speech. (Picture: NTAs/ITV)Ant and Dec also won awards for Best Challenge Show for I'm A Celebrity, and the Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award for Saturday Night Takeaway.
Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly with their TV Presenter award and The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment award during the National Television Awards 2018 at the O2 Arena. (Picture: John Phillips/Getty Images)Taking to Twitter after the awards show, the pair said they were 'totes emosh.'
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU#nta2018 #totesemosh 😘
— antanddec (@antanddec) January 23, 2018
In June 2017, McPartlin checked himself into rehab for drink and drug addictions, and revealed to The Sun that he had been battling a prescription drug addiction for around a year after a botched knee operation left him in pain.
At the time, the star said he had a 'massive sense of relief' when he entered the facility, and how he battled to come off prescription painkiller oxycontin.
McPartlin also announced his separation from his wife of 11 years Lisa Armstrong earlier this month.
In a statement released to The Sun on Sunday, his spokesman said: “In response to the recent speculation in the media, Ant is very sad to announce that, after 11 years, he is ending his marriage to Lisa McPartlin.
“Ant asks for privacy at this difficult time, for both himself, Lisa and their immediate families. No further statement will be made.”
A source close to McPartlin said that while it was his decision to end the marriage, he was 'obviously really upset about it.'
