Television presenter Declan Donnelly has candidly revealed that his well-intentioned dry January resolution lasted merely one week before family pressures led him to abandon the alcohol-free challenge. The popular broadcaster opened up about this personal setback during a heartfelt conversation on his new podcast series, Hanging Out with Ant and Dec, which he co-hosts with longtime professional partner Ant McPartlin.
Parenting Challenges Prompt Early Resolution Break
Donnelly, who shares two young children with his wife Ali Astall, explained that the demanding behaviour of his offspring proved too much to handle without some form of relaxation. The father to seven-year-old Isla and three-year-old Jack described how his children's return to school after the Christmas holidays failed to bring the expected calm to household routines.
The television personality confessed: "They went back to school for that first week back and I thought, 'Good - a bit of discipline, a bit of routine is back in their lives. It's going to be lovely.' They were feral all week and then the weekend was a disaster."
A Stressful Saturday Night Decision
Ultimately, the combination of a challenging week and difficult weekend led Donnelly to make a conscious decision to end his dry January attempt. He revealed: "So I was going to do dry January. In the end, Saturday night, put them to bed and opened a bottle of wine."
When McPartlin responded that this was "understandable" given the circumstances, Donnelly questioned whether it truly was justifiable, though he maintained his commitment to broader health goals for 2026.
Podcast Conversation Reveals Contrasting Approaches
The conversation between the two presenters highlighted their different relationships with alcohol, with McPartlin having maintained sobriety for nearly eight years following a drink-driving incident in 2018. When Donnelly revealed his week-long dry January attempt, McPartlin responded with sarcastic praise: "Well done you - as someone who's been sober nearly eight years, I'm very proud of you."
Donnelly defended his brief attempt, chuckling as he said: "I thought that was pretty good going. I had a very stressful day with the kids. They've been wild since New Year."
Broader Health Goals Remain Intact
Despite abandoning his alcohol-free January, Donnelly emphasized that he remains committed to improving his fitness and overall health throughout 2026. He told listeners: "I'm not doing dry January now but I'm still going to get fit and healthy in 2026."
The presenter also took the opportunity to praise McPartlin's personal transformation in recent years, telling The Times: "What I most admire is that with the challenges he's faced, especially over the last few years, Ant took responsibility and real action. He worked on himself so much to get back not just to being himself but actually being a much better person than he was before."
This honest revelation provides a relatable glimpse into the challenges of maintaining New Year's resolutions while balancing demanding family responsibilities, even for well-known television personalities.
