I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! presenter Ant McPartlin was seen for the first time with his son Wilder in Australia

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Ant looked protective of his son as he walked in the blazing sunshine (Image: NC)

Ant McPartlin has been spotted for the first time in Australia with his infant son Wilder, as he marked his 49th birthday.

The beloved I’m A Celebrity presenter took a break from the show’s hectic filming schedule to savour some precious moments with his son, tenderly holding him during a picturesque walk. The Geordie star was seen affectionately embracing baby Wilder, having previously shared his sorrow over departing from his family for the jungle stint.

For his casual birthday outing, Ant opted for a cool ensemble suitable for the sizzling Australian summer, donning a white T-shirt paired with patterned shorts and rounding off his look with sunglasses while spending quality time with his young son.

The popular television personality has been at the helm of the hit ITV reality series since its inception in 2002, except for a hiatus in 2018.

Ant, alongside his long-standing co-host Declan Donnelly, also 49, surprised their audience when they announced their departure from their weekend programme Saturday Night Takeaway after two decades. Ant had expressed his desire to dedicate more time to his family at that juncture, and recent reports have indicated he is feeling “sad” about having to leave his newborn son behind as he fulfills his hosting responsibilities in Australia for I’m A Celeb.

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Ant McPartlin cradled his son as the pair went on a scenic walk (Image: NC)

The celebrity has been blissfully wed to Anne-Marie Corbett since 2021, and earlier this year, they celebrated the arrival of their first child together, a son named Wilder.

Taking to social media to express his joy, the elated father Ant penned: “Welcome to the family, Wilder Patrick Mcpartlin. Born, 14/05/24 at 8.54 am. Baby is beautiful, Mummy’s a legend, Sisters are over the moon. Dad’s a mess!” He accompanied the heartfelt announcement with an adorable photo of the newborn snuggled against him.

A recent report surfaced last week indicating that Ant is battling severe homesickness in Australia, having had to leave Anne-Marie and baby Wilder back home.

An insider confided to OK! Magazine: “Ant is feeling really emotional about being so far away from Anne-Marie and Wilder. It’s the longest he has left them for and it’s going to be so difficult.”

Ant McPartlin shielded his son from the sunshine (Image: NC)

Ant McPartlin and his wife Anne-Marie welcomed their son earlier this year (Image: NC)Last year, Ant, alongside his co-star Dec, stunned their audience by declaring that the 2024 season of Saturday Night Takeaway would be their swan song, as they aimed to reduce their workload to cherish more time with their loved ones.

They dropped the bombshell on Instagram, with Ant stating: “We love making Saturday Night Takeaway, but reaching the milestone of 20 series seemed like the perfect time to pause for a little while and catch our breath.”

In a later chat with Fault magazine, Ant alluded to his desire for more family time, revealing to the outlet: “On a more personal level, part of the reason we’re pausing Takeaway is we need a break ourselves, and we need to spend some time with our family.”

Ant and Anne-Marie welcomed baby Wilder earlier this year (Image: antanddec/Instagram)

“We’ve both got children that we need to spend time with for a little bit. We need time to think and, and time to step back and look at the bigger picture and just see where we are now.”

As ITV’s hit show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! kick-started its 2024 series, viewers were livid after encountering a technical glitch which prevented them from voting during the opening episode.

Sunday’s spectacle ushered in celebrities such as footballer’s spouse Coleen Rooney, McFly’s Danny Jones, Dancing On Ice’s Oti Mabuse, and N-Dubz star Tulisa Contostavlos into the wilderness. The original cast of ten was split into duos, racing each other to secure their spot in the camp.

Ant McPartlin and Anne-Marie McPartlin tied the knot in 2021 (Image: GC Images)

Tulisa paired with Coronation Street’s Alan Halsall led the pack to camp victory, snagging immunity from the first vote that would decide who faces the ghastly Vile Volcano challenge. However, as the voting lines opened, droves of fans found themselves foiled by technical difficulties that marred the voting process.

Disgruntled fans unleashed their vexations online, with one voicing on platform X: “It wont let me votee #ImACeleb” accompanied by a crying emoji. Others too aired grievances like “Omg is anyone else’s voting crashing because we’re all rushing to vote for GK Barry…#ImACeleb.”

While another lamented, “Is the voting app thing not working for anyone else? #imaceleb.”