Stephen Mulhern said he couldn't step on Ant McPartlin's toes by standing in for him on I'm A Celebrity.
The presenter was tipped to replace the Geordie favourite as he battled personal problems last year.
Ant was forced to take a break as he focused on his recovery following a challenging 2018.
The star, 43, was involved in a car crash in March last year and later pleaded guilty to drink-driving.
He was fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months.
Mulhern was said to be wanted, but in the end This Morning host Holly Willoughby was given the nod.
The 42-year-old says it really needed a female voice in the Outback and that he loved every minute of the series.
Dec's subtle gesture gave away true feelings for Ant McPartlin on Britain's Got Talent
“It was the best possible choice, you couldn’t have gone with another guy," he told The Sun.
“It had to be a female host and Holly was perfect. Holly and Dec worked a treat.
“When we were in Florida for Takeaway last year there was talk about me doing a lot more stuff on the show.
“But you can’t replace Ant. I’m not going to step into a friend’s shoes. I couldn’t do as well as him and I’m just pleased he’s back.”
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Britain's Got Talent viewers were thrilled to see nothing much has changed as Ant and Dec were finally reunited.
Fans were quick to notice how healthy the troubled presenter looked and how the chemistry was still there.
"I’ve missed Ant and Dec so much, I’m so happy that Ant is back and looking so happy and healthy," one fan wrote.
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"My Saturday nights are complete again!" a viewer posted on twitter.
"Britain's Got Talent is back but most importantly Ant & Dec are reunited and I don't ever want them to be separated again!" wrote another.
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