TV presenter Ant McPartlin has been fined £86,000 and banned from the roads for 20 months after admitting drink-driving after his Mini was involved in a three-vehicle crash.
The 42-year-old, from Chiswick, appeared on Monday (April 16) at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court, with the building guarded by seven police officers as the star made his way through a scrum of reporters and photographers.
McPartlin was charged by postal requisition on March 21 after being involved in a collision with two other cars while he was driving his Mini in Richmond on March 18.
Wearing a black three-piece suit, white shirt and black tie, McPartlin stood in the glass dock in court.
He spoke to confirm his name, date of birth, address and nationality before pleading guilty to a single charge of drink-driving.
Ant and Dec in the news
The charge stated he had 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath.
McPartlin's barrister Liam Walker said his client had been seeking help for "alcohol and emotional issues" at the time of the crash, adding that his mother was in the car with him.
He told the district judge the incident was down to "a brief relapse unbeknownst to his passenger".
"Anthony McPartlin is sorry and is doing everything he can to ensure this never happens again," Mr Walker said.
"He hopes that in time he can make himself better and that he might be forgiven by all of the many people he knows and he feels he has let down terribly."
Prosecutor Katie Sinnett-Jones told the court the incident happened at around 3.50pm on March 18 in Lower Richmond Road.
She said McPartlin was driving around a "sharp bend and lost control", at which point he ended up on the wrong side of the road.
He collided with another Mini Cooper before driving "straight into the front of an oncoming car".
McPartlin's vehicle "came to a halt and was no longer driveable due to the damage caused," she said. Members of the public called the police.
The court heard the driver of the other Mini car thought they "could have died" in the incident.
He said in a statement read by Ms Sinnett-Jones: "Myself and my family were in deep shock as we believed we could have died as as a result of Mr McPartlin's reckless driving."
The court also heard that in a statement to police, McPartlin said: "I am very sorry I did this. I am ashamed and mortified that this happened.
"I accept full culpability for this and wish to apologise to all those concerned."
Continuing to address the court, Mr Walker added: "Through me, Mr McPartlin wishes to express both sorrow and regret over his actions. He is sorry, but not sorry because he is here.
"He knows it is right that he's here and he hopes that which has led him here will eventually help him.
"But for good fortune, the consequences could have been worse. He feels the guilt that is reflected in his plea."
Mr Walker spoke of McPartlin's "exemplary" character and charitable work, especially focusing on organisations that help children.
"Mr McPartlin is lucky to have both family and long-time friends to support him," he added.
District Judge Barbara Barnes told McPartlin he was a "well-known and successful entertainer", whose weekly income is around £130,000 a week.
Sentencing him, she said: "At the time when it happened you were struggling with various personal problems and also alcohol issues for some months.
"This incident happened, sadly, when it seems you suffered a brief relapse."
The judge described McPartlin's previous "exemplary character", adding: "I think it will have quite an impact on you to know you're no longer a man of good character."
Handing him the £86,000 fine, she said: "Because of the seriousness of this offence, the financial pain must be imposed on you as on any other offender."
McPartlin was also told to pay £255 in costs.
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