The Take That star said he was thankful no one was seriously injured in the three-car pile-up in Richmond, south west London on Sunday (18 March).
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Gary Barlow
Dave J Hogan via Getty Images
Speaking to The Sun’s podcast, the 47-year-old singer compared Ant’s troubles to his former bandmate Robbie Williams’ mental health battles.
“I don’t really know what happened,” he said. “It’s the same as Rob, everyone just wants the best for him.
“It could have been a lot worse than it was. Thank God no one got seriously hurt. I just want him to get better, because we’ve all grown up seeing those guys on telly, they’re a TV fixture.
“Every few months I love to watch them, they’re incredibly funny.”
Gary added: “I send the best to him.”
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Ant McPartlin leaving a house in west London after he was interviewed by police on the same day it was revealed his TV presenting partner Declan Donnelly will host their programme Saturday Night Takeaway without him.
John Stillwell - PA Images via Getty Images
Gary was also quick to draw parallels with Robbie’s struggles, admitting he still worries about his former bandmate
“He loses his way a bit and it really goes to show how haunted he is by that side of his life,” Gary said.
“All of us worry about him constantly. He’s still the baby of the band to us. He was 15 when he joined Take That, just about to be 16.”
Following his arrest, Ant confirmed that he was returning to treatment, and would be stepping down from his TV commitments for the foreseeable future.
While this has led to the cancellation of this week’s ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’, ITV has confirmed that the final two episodes of the current series will go ahead as planned, with Declan Donnelly hosting the show without his usual co-presenter.
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Declan Donnelly
Neil Mockford via Getty Images
Dec 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.”
Ant and Dec Through The Years
(01 of17)
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Ant and Dec, aka PJ and Duncan, in 1994. (Photo credit: Getty)
(02 of17)
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British pop duo PJ and Duncan instore at HMV in 1994. (Photo credit: PA)
(03 of17)
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Ant and Dec, aka PJ and Duncan, in 1994. (Photo credit: PA/Jez C Self/EMPICS Entertainment)
(04 of17)
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Ant and Dec larking about with Sesame Street puppets Bert and Ernie in 1996. (Photo credit: PA)
(05 of17)
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Pop duo PJ & Duncan in the studio in 1996 (Photo credit: PA)
(06 of17)
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PJ and Duncan in concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1996. (Photo credit: PA)
(07 of17)
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Ant and Dec celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Byker Grove with fellow stars in 1998. (Photo credit: Rex Features)
(08 of17)
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Ant and Dec with Cat Deeley in 1998, co-hosts of SMTV://Live. (Photo credit: PA)
(09 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin (left), and Declan Donnelly, Ant & Dec, with their Most Popular entertainment Presenter awards at the National Television Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 2002. (Photo credit: PA)
(10 of17)
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Pop Idol presenters Anthony McPartlin (left) and Declan Donnelly (right) celebrate with Will Young from Hungerford, Berkshire, at the Fountain Studios in London, after he was voted Britain's Pop Idol in 2002. (Photo credit: PA)
(11 of17)
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Pop Idol judges (from left) Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman, Nicki Chapman and Neil Fox, pose with show hosts Ant and Dec (Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly) during a press conference at Thames TV in London, to launch a new series of Pop Idol in 2003. (Photo credit: PA)
(12 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly pose with the awards for Best Comedy Entertainment Personality and Best Comedy Entertainment Programme for Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway in the Awards Room at the 'British Comedy Awards 2004' on December 22, 2004 at London Television Studios in London. (Photo credit: Claire Greenway/Getty Images)
(13 of17)
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Ant and Dec as The Ugly Sisters in Madame Tussauds Celebrity Pantomime in 2005. (Photo credit: PA)
(14 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin (left) and Declan Donnelly (right) with the Entertainment Performance award received for I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! at the BAFTA television awards at the London Palladium in 2010. (Photo credit: PA)
(15 of17)
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Ant and Dec take part in the 'I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!' Bush Tucker Trial 'Greasy Spoon', in November 2011. (Photo credit: Rex Features)
(16 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin (left) and Declan Donnelly arriving for the 2012 NTA Awards at the O2, Greenwich, London. (Photo credit: PA)
(17 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin (left) and Declan Donnelly with their awards for Entertainment Presenter, backstage at the National Television Awards 2012 at the Greenwich Arena London. (Photo credit: PA)