Declan Donnelly told I’m A Celeb bosses there was ‘no way’ he’d host show with Phillip Schofield after Ant went to rehab

DEC Donnelly told I’m A Celeb bosses there was “no way” he would host the show with another man.

The 44-year-old star said there were calls for “Stephen Mulhern or Phillip Schofield” to get the job when Ant McPartlin was ruled out of the 2018 series.

Dec Donnelly explained that Phillip Schofield was being touted as his new co-host

Writing in autobiography Once Upon a Tyne, Dec explained: “At first there was a lot of speculation as to who it would be, with people saying Stephen Mulhern or Phillip Schofield should get the job.

“But right from the very, very beginning there was no way I was going to host the show with another male.

“I didn’t want to have another man standing on the same side that Ant stood.

“I didn’t want it to appear that another guy was stepping in to take Ant’s place, because they weren’t. And because no one ever could.”

There has been calls for the This Morning star to take Ant’s place

Ant had to sit the 2018 series out as he continued his recovery in the UK

In the end Holly Willoughby co-hosted I’m A Celeb with Dec

Ant, also 44, replied in the book, which is written with them taking a section each, in emotional terms.

He said: “We’ve talked about this before, but that’s the first time I’ve heard you say all of that at once and it means the bloody world.”

In the end, Phillip’s This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby was brought in as Dec’s onscreen partner for the 2018 series.

Bookies put both Stephen and Phillip in the frame when Ant dropped out of the show, alongside former jungle queen Scarlett Moffatt.

Takeaway stars Scarlett Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern were also in the frame

Dec Donnelly explained that he would not co-host the show with a man

He said he didn’t want it to look like ‘another guy was stepping in’

The popular TV star had been undergoing rehab treatment after a relapse into alcohol addiction which saw him convicted of drink driving.

Dec explained at the time: “I am obviously sad at the thought of being without my best friend in Australia this year.

“But I am proud of the work Ant has been doing privately and I am fully supportive of his decision. I’m looking forward to us both being reunited on screen in 2019.”

Holly proved a huge success in the role with fans calling for her to return as part of the gang – an idea ruled out by the duo.

Holly and Phillip on an episode of Saturday Night Takeaway in 2017

The revelation appears in Ant and Dec’s book Once Upon A Tyne

Ant and Dec’s book was released today with the pair posting a video heralding its arrival in bookshops today.

They wrote: “Happy publication day to us After three decades together, we thought we’d better jot our stories down before we get too doddery .

“We can’t wait for you to finally give it a read, out on the shelves today!”