Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have discovered they are distant cousins after appearing on the documentary Ant and Dec’s DNA Journey.
The long-time collaborators traced their ancestral history throughout the two-part series, which ended on Monday night (11 November).
In the final part of the show, it was revealed that the pair share the same DNA marker S660, meaning they must be related.
The presenters also share the same Viking warrior descendant through their fathers' bloodlines.
A genealogist explained: “There’s only one way to share a DNA marker – and that’s because you’re related.
“Recently, a Viking age warrior’s Skelton has been dug up in Dublin. He was in his late 20s, and died over 1000 years ago.
“What’s amazing to me is that when his DNA was analysed, it was shown he carried the S660 marker – the same marker that Ant and Dec carry.
“This warrior is directly related to them, in the father line. He’s the first one warrior we’ve ever found in the world with the S660.”
On hearing the news, McPartlin said: “Its been two years, we started out in Newcastle and here we are now… cousins!”
“Oh my God!” added Donnelly.
McPartlin, who recently took a break from his television commitments due to an addiction to subscription painkillers and his conviction for drink-driving in 2018, said his friendship with Donnelly “feels even deeper” than it did before.
The pair are reuniting to launch the new series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! on Sunday 17 November on ITV. Check out the full line-up here.
