Declan Donnelly has revealed that he nearly got arrested after accidentally walking out of an M&S store without paying.
The TV presenter was travelling with his wife, Ali Astall, when they stopped at a service station in Somerset to pick up some food.
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Speaking on his podcast with Ant McPartlin, Dec explained that they chose an M&S and bought “sandwiches, crisps and a bang bang chicken to share.”
He took the food to the self-service checkout, scanned everything and put it into his bag.
However, after scanning his Sparks card, Dec said he simply walked away without actually paying for the shopping.
He only realised what had happened after they had got back on the road.
He recalled: “As I was tucking into my sandwich, I turned to the current Mrs D and I said with a mouth full of egg and bacon sandwich: ‘I haven’t paid for this.’”
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly. Photo credit: Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
Ali was understandably confused, with Dec explaining: “I haven’t paid for it. I bleeped me Sparks card and I just left.”
Realising that he had technically walked out of the shop without paying, Dec became concerned that he could be arrested.
He decided to contact the service station to explain what had happened and try to put things right.
Dec said: “I’m really sorry, I have just shoplifted from Bridgwater services. My heart rate is slightly raised, I think I’m going to get arrested because they know it was me.”
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His office then contacted the service station on his behalf to ask how the situation could be resolved.
Fortunately for Dec, the staff did not ask him to return or take any further action.
Instead, they reportedly thanked him for his honesty and suggested that he make a donation to charity.
Dec said the charity was believed to be Mind, and he ended up donating more than the value of the food he had taken.
The presenter joked that he was therefore not exactly “out of pocket” despite his accidental shoplifting incident.
