Declan Donnelly apologises after shoplifting from an M&S motorway services store and reveals his fear of getting arrested

Declan Donnelly was forced to apologise after accidentally shoplifting from an M&S motorway services store as he shared his fear he was about to get arrested last week. 

The TV presenter, 50, updated fans on the latest episode of his podcast with Ant McPartlin as he revealed he accidently walked away from a self-service checkout at Bridgwater Services store without paying.

It was only once he was on the move again and had taken a bite into his egg, bacon and maple sandwich that he realised he had committed a crime.  

The incident occurred as Dec drove back from Cornwall with his wife Ali Astall after a few weeks holiday. 

Confessing he began: 'I nearly got arrested yesterday.'

Surprised, Ant, 50, asked: 'What do you mean, nearly got arrested?'

Dec explained: 'I nearly didn't make it here today.  I could have got arrested yesterday. I broke the law yesterday. 

'I was on the way back. I had a few days away in Cornwall. Then I was on the drive back. Long drive back from Cornwall. Long way away from London. We stopped off halfway for a little bit of a wee and to get a sandwich.

'We like stopping at services with an M&S because it's a nice, it does good sandwiches.

'So we go in, we pick our sandwiches, pick our little bag of crisps, pick a little sweet treat for afterwards.'

'So far none of this is arrest material. None of this is criminal. It's not a criminal act,' interrupted Ant.

Dec continued: 'We stick in a little bang bang chicken to share. Take it to the self-service checkout.

'So I start bleeping it. Bleep bleep bleep bleep. I haven't got a bag. It's too much to carry. I'm going to have to get a bag for life. So, I get one of the bags. Bleep that. Put everything in the bag. Bleep me Sparks card. 

'And then I just walk off. '

'What do you mean?' asked Ant as Dec confirmed: 'I just walked off. I put everything in the bag. Bleeped me sparks card. Didn't pay for anything.'

Outraged Ant continued: 'What? Declan Donley is a thief. So when did you realise?

'As I was tucking into me egg and maple bacon sandwich,' replied Dec as Ant hit back: 'Egg and bacon sandwich. Dirty criminal git.'

Dec explained: 'As I was tucking into me sandwich, I turned to the current Mrs D and I said with a mouth full of egg and bacon sandwich. I went "I haven't paid for this." 

'She went, "What do you mean? What do you mean?" I went, "I haven't paid for it. I bleeped me Sparks card and I just left."'

Keen to rectify his mistake and avoid arrest, Dec called up the services but he couldn't get through. 

He then rang his team to explain: 'I get on the phone to the office to the girls in the office and I say "I've just shoplifted from Bridgewater Services.  My heart rate is slightly raised. I think I'm going to get arrested because they know it was me." They knew it was me.'

'Of course. Your one of the most recognisable men in Britain, you can't get away with this behavior,' replied Ant. 

Dec continued: 'So, they rang the services and they said, "Dec's just been in. He's just shoplifted. He's currently eating the spoils of his endeavors." 

'"What can we do to resolve the situation?" and they said, "Thank you for your honesty, but honestly, there's nothing we can do now, but please make a donation to our charity." So in the end I made a donation to M&S's partner, charity.'

He added: 'For slightly more actually than the sandwiches cost. I made a donation to charity to cover the sandwiches. So I am slightly out of pocket because it was more than my sandwich.'

Confirming M&S hadn't been in touch with him, Ant joked: 'They were going to be a sponsor of this podcast. Not anymore.'