DECLAN Donnelly stunned parents when he made an unexpected appearance at a six-year-old’s Wonka-themed birthday party – but none of the kids knew who he was.
Geordie star Dec, 48, popped into the village hall venue as a treat but barely any of the five and six-year-old partygoers had a clue that he was famous.
While the excited mums and dads began whipping out their phones to take a snap, the children appeared more interested in the Willy Wonka entertainer and his real-life Golden Ticket sidekick.
One bemused mum said: “Dec was visiting his parents nearby and was playing on recreation ground with his children when the birthday boy’s mum spotted him out of the window.
“She went running out of the village hall and convinced him to come in and surprise her son.
“He was delighted, as he’s a fan of Saturday Night Takeaway, but most of the other kids didn’t have a clue who Dec was.
“They were all told to line up for selfies and photos with him but they just looked baffled.
“They actually seemed more starstruck by the chap who was dressed up as Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket. It was hilarious!”
Dec’s surprise appearance in West End, Surrey, came just a week after he and Ant McPartlin, also 48, bowed out of Saturday Night Takeaway.
The telly duo have decided to ‘rest’ the popular ITV weekend show after a staggering 20 series’.
Ant and Dec’s decision to take a break was partly due to their newest roles as parents.
Dec has two children with his wife Ali Astall, five-year-old Isla and Jack, one, while Ant is expecting his first baby with wife Anne-Marie Corbett.
In February, Ant told Fault magazine: “We need to spend some time with our family. We’ve both got children.”
But the lads have not put the brakes on fully.
Hours before Dec was spotted at the children’s party in Surrey, Britain’s Got Talent 2024 kicked off.
Dec presents the ITV1 show together with Ant and they were on top form when the new series got underway on Saturday night.
But earlier this month Saturday Night Takeaway viewers were left sobbing during the show’s final ever episode after 20 years.
Ant and Dec presented the two-hour finale episode live from ITV’s HQ Television Centre in London.
“Our favourite show to watch as a family. Will miss it soooooo much! Please bring it back again soon, there is nothing like it!”
Another wrote: “I’m crying like a baby #SaturdayNightTakeaway.”
SNT premiered in 2002 and then was shelved in 2009.
The show was brought back in 2013.
