Declan Donnelly has revealed he feared being arrested after accidentally walking out of an M&S store at a motorway service station without paying for his lunch. The 50-year-old I'm A Celebrity host made the admission on the latest episode of the Hanging Out With Ant & Dec podcast, explaining that a genuine mistake left him "slightly out of pocket" after he later made a donation to charity to resolve the situation.
Donnelly, who was travelling with his wife Ali Astall, said the couple stopped off at a services with an M&S store. He scanned his sandwiches, crisps and bang bang chicken at the self-service checkout, then bleeped his Sparks loyalty card before walking off — forgetting the crucial payment step.
A sandwich revelation
Speaking alongside his presenting partner Ant McPartlin, Donnelly described how he only realised his error once he had started eating. "I put it all in my bag and wandered off... As I was tucking into my sandwich, I turned to the current Mrs D and I said with a mouth full of egg and bacon sandwich: 'I haven't paid for this,'" he recalled.
His wife responded with disbelief, asking what he meant. Donnelly explained: "I haven't paid for it. I bleeped me Sparks card and I just left." He told McPartlin that his heart rate was raised and he believed he would be arrested because the staff would know who he was.
Charity donation resolves the matter
Determined to put things right, Donnelly rang the service station from the road. After initially struggling to get through, he spoke to staff in the office and apologised, saying: "I'm really sorry, I have just shoplifted from Bridgewater services."
McPartlin joked that Donnelly could not get away with such behaviour as one of the most recognisable men in Britain. The services staff reportedly thanked Donnelly for his honesty and suggested he make a donation to their charity, which he believed was Mind. Donnelly said he ended up "slightly out of pocket" after paying more than the cost of his lunch.
McPartlin also joked that the incident had ruined their chances of securing a sponsorship deal with M&S.
