Ant McPartlin's Drink-Drive Charge Leads To Suzuki Ending £20m Endorsement Deal

Suzuki has revealed they are pulling their adverts featuring Ant and Dec, in light of Ant McPartlin’s formal charge for drink-driving. 

The pair featured in a campaign for the car manufacturer as part of a ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’ tie-in, but the company has now ended their endorsement deal with immediate effect. 

However, Suzuki will still continue as the sponsor of the remaining two episodes of ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: “Suzuki are withdrawing their advertising campaign with Ant & Dec. No further material featuring the duo will be aired and Suzuki’s endorsement deal with the pair has come to an end. 

“We agree with ITV and Ant & Dec that it was the correct decision not to broadcast Saturday Night Takeaway this weekend. As a car brand we recognise the seriousness of Ant’s charge. We completely support Ant’s decision to seek treatment.

“Suzuki will however continue to sponsor the last two episodes of this series of ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’ with our current idents.”

They added: “Suzuki very much supports Dec and ITV’s decision to broadcast the shows and as headline sponsors we also want to support the competition winners who have won places on the Plane to Florida for the series finale.”

Prior to being officially charged with drink-driving, Suzuki said they were “in dialogue with ITV” about its involvement with ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’. 

Ant announced he was stepping down from all TV commitments and returning to treatment earlier this week, following his arrest on suspicion of drink-driving when he crashed his car on Sunday.

He was formally charged on Wednesday and will appear in court on 4 April. 

While this week’s episode of ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’ was pulled from the schedules in light of the incident, Declan Donnelly has confirmed he will present the rest of the series without Ant by his side. 

He said in a statement: “Whilst I never thought I’d be in this position, after much discussion and careful consideration we’ve decided that the remaining two shows of this series of ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’ will go ahead.

“We made a promise to take hundreds of deserving winners to Florida to watch the series finale, and we will honour that. 

“Everyone at ITV and the ‘Takeaway’ team feels we owe it to the audience to complete the series.”

However, ITV has not confirmed if he will be joined by a new co-host, or will present the show alone.

Ant has had a difficult 12 months after spending two months in a rehabilitation facility for an addiction to prescription painkillers last summer, following a botched knee operation.

In January, he also announced his split from wife of 11 years, Lisa Armstrong.