Declan Donnelly spiralled into an angry tirade when he fumed Ant McPartlin never asked him for help.
The I'm A Celeb presenter, 44, confessed he was filled with rage because his childhood BFF didn't turn to him in his time of trouble.
In an emotional outburst, the TV star insisted he would have done if "the shoe was on the other foot".
Dec feared Ant's secret battle with his drink and drug demons put a strain on their lifelong friendship as he struggled with Ant failing to reach out to him.
Speaking ahead of the documentary Ant & Dec's DNA Journey, he said: “It has been a tough couple of years and it has tested the bond we have shared since we were 13 years old.
"I was incredibly angry at the start, so angry.
"Disappointed that he didn't ever come to me and say 'I am struggling, I need you' because that is what I would do if the shoe was on the other foot. And he never came to me and that hurt me a lot."
Also Ant touched on how his tough few years tested the strength of his friendship with Dec.
In heart-wrenching scenes, he said: “Y'know the last few years have been quite emotional, hard, they have been testing I would say in terms of how strong your love is and how strong your friendship is."
The Geordie duo discussed how they thought the changes in their lives could have ended their TV careers.
It's been a busy few years as Ant stepped down from his TV duties and Dec became a dad for the first time.
However, they were both delighted they have come through the other side after believing their career could have been in tatters.
Ant said: “I took a break from TV and Dec became a dad. Life dramatically changed for us. There were points we thought it was never gonna happen again.
“I'm glad we did carry on because it is one hell of a journey.”
