DEC Donnelly told I'm A Celeb bosses there was "no way" he would host the show with another man when Ant McPartlin was ruled out of the 2018 series.
The 44-year-old star said there were calls for "Stephen Mulhern or Phillip Schofield" to get the job when his presenting pal took a break following his arrest over a drink-drive smash.
Writing in autobiography Once Upon a Tyne, Dec explained: "At first there was a lot of speculation as to who it would be, with people saying Stephen Mulhern or Phillip Schofield should get the job. "But right from the very, very beginning there was no way I was going to host the show with another male. "I didn't want to have another man standing on the same side that Ant stood. "I didn't want it to appear that.
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