Ant McPartlin, the British television presenter, has revealed that frustration over rental e-bikes being left outside his former London home was a significant factor in his decision to move away from the city. McPartlin stated on the podcast "Hanging Out With Ant And Dec" that the persistent presence of these bikes, particularly Lime bikes, outside his Wimbledon property caused him considerable irritation.
He recounted an instance where he became so angered by the e-bikes being left near his gate that he kicked them over. McPartlin said that his step-daughters perceived his reaction as indicative of anger issues, a claim he refuted, stating he was simply angry at the people leaving the bikes. He described the situation as a daily annoyance, with bikes frequently parked outside his house.
McPartlin joked on the podcast that the situation would likely become a headline, stating, "This will be a story now on the Daily Mail. And I'm here for it. Ant's fury at Lime bikes..."
In February, McPartlin and his wife, Anne-Marie Corbett, moved from their £6 million Wimbledon home to a £10 million gated property in Cobham, Surrey. While the e-bike issue was a contributing annoyance, reports suggest the primary reason for the move was a dispute with a neighbor over renovation plans that included felling protected trees. The purchase of the new home incurred over £1 million in stamp duty.
McPartlin, 50, and Corbett, 49, married in August 2021. They are parents to Corbett's teenage daughters, Poppy and Daisy, from a previous marriage, and a son named Wilder. The couple's daily routine now reportedly includes dog walking, attending football matches, and holidays. McPartlin has previously described Corbett as his "rock and lifesaver," particularly during his recovery from alcohol and prescription painkiller addiction, which he has since overcome. He has expressed that he is currently the "happiest he's ever been."