The first episode of the new show was soon underway and although it was messy in parts as Ant,Dec and Cat got to grips with working their way through sketches,challenges and competitions and the three presenters were extremely nervous at times,it still went off without a hitch.

"What did you think then?" Ant asked Dec curiously as they sat in their joint dressing room afterwards.

"Not sure" Dec frowned "don't really know what to think,did we pull it off?"

"I hope we did" Ant replied "but I'm not sure how professional it came across,seemed a bit all over the place"

"Kids won't mind that" Dec shrugged "they love chaos"

"Yeah that's true" Ant smiled "I still want to do a good job though,that's what we're paid for after all"

"I'm sure we did that at least" Dec smiled "it was only the first show,we're just finding our feet.Let's see what the kids thought first at least before we get downhearted,I really think it went ok"

"Yeah,you're right" Ant smiled "sorry,don't know why I'm being so negative,that's usually your job"

He winked at Dec playfully.

"Oi" Dec retorted "that's not true"

"Maybe just a little bit?" Ant grinned,while squeezing his thumb and index finger together to indicate a tiny amount.

"Ok,maybe a little bit then" Dec laughed.

"I'm gonna phone Sarha" Ant announced while pulling his mobile phone out of his jacket pocket.

"Hate this bloody thing" he mumbled to himself "why do they have to be so damn heavy?"

Dec listened intently as Ants younger sister soon answered the call.

"So what did you think pet?" Ant asked.

After that Dec couldn't make out much of the conversation as Ant just came out with a string of very basic words.

"Yeah" "ok" "really?" "Uh huh"

"What did she think then?" Dec asked excitedly as Ant disconnected his phone and placed it down onto the table.

"She said she didn't get it" Ant stated bluntly.

"Oh?" Dec frowned disappointed.

Sarha was always extremely honest with her big brother about his career choices,which Ant fully appreciated even though it was often hard to hear the truth,nevertheless he knew her comments always came from a good place and out of love for him.

"Like you said Decs" Ant sighed "it's only the first show,we'll grow into it,let's not worry eh?"

"Yeah you're right" Dec smiled "it's early days yet,let's just see how it goes"

Sure enough the boys soon settled into their Saturday morning routine,getting more and more comfortable with what they were doing every week.Then spending the rest of the week planning for the next show after having sundays off.

The programme had soon got the attention of the nation's youngsters and even some of the parents.It even became popular with college and university students,who saw it as the perfect lazy Saturday morning tonic after a heavy session out on the town on a friday night.What better antidote could there be than a whole morning of on screen craziness while lying in bed nursing a hangover?

As time went on,the boys and the audience all had their particular favourite parts of the show.

Chums,a parody of the sitcom Friends was a particular favourite with the viewers and Dec also loved it because he got to kiss Cat,well he got to spend alot of time trying at least.

Decs winner by a mile though was the competition Wonkey Donkey,he adored the fact he got to shout at the kids at home when they couldn't think of what the rhyming object was.

"IT'S GOTTA RHYME MAN" he'd often shout down the camera lens at the flustered kids at the other end of the phone.A giggling Ant could always be seen at his side,just enjoying the moment.This was soon to become Decs catchphrase and it was often shouted at him good heartedly by kids in the street.

"You love giving those poor kids a hard time don't ya?" Ant laughed one Saturday during the ad break.

"Maybe" Dec grinned "well how hard is it to understand that something has to rhyme?it's hardly rocket science is it?"

"Guess not" Ant laughed.

"And" Dec continued "I bet they love it as well"

"Yeah probably" Ant shook his head playfully.

"Although me Mam has told me off more than once for being horrible to 'em" Dec frowned.

"Has she?" Ant laughed.

"Yeah" Dec smiled "she doesn't really understand how it all works,told me last week she spent the morning making scones instead of watching"

"Ha" Ant laughed out loud "can't imagine it's her kind of thing anyway with or without her son in it"

His mother aside,Dec was really happy that the programme had been received so well,everything was going brilliantly for him and Ant.They had a show that was really liked by the kids and even some adults,he and Ants popularity had soared,they were becoming even more financially stable,which they would never would have imagined would have been possible just a couple of years ago and he was living with his best mate which was great,life was good.

That was until Ant took him to one side one Sunday evening while they were having their usual day off.

"Sit down Decs" Ant ordered as he gestured towards the sofa.

Dec did as he was told and quietly took a seat.He had his suspicions about what Ant wanted to talk to him about,he had feared it for a while,but had put it to the back of his mind.

"Decs,you know how much I love living with you don't ya?" Ant smiled and patted Decs leg gently.

Here it comes,Dec thought to himself,the moment he'd been dreading,he could already feel the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Yeah" he nodded "me too"

'Dont say it,don't say it,please don't say it Ant' he telepathically attempted to get through to Ant,desperately trying to get his best friend to rethink what was going through his mind.

"Yeah it's been amazing hasn't it?" Ant smiled "but you know how great me and Lisa have been getting on?"

"Yeah" Dec replied weakly.

"Well" Ant continued "we're proper in love like and we want to get our own place,we want to be together"

"Ok" Dec mumbled.

"Is that all you've got to say?" Ant questioned worriedly.

"What else is there to say?" Dec shrugged.

"Come on pal" Ant cajoled "I know you and I can see that you're upset,talk to me will ya?"

"I'm fine" Dec stated bluntly.

"No you're not" Ant frowned "ok,well if you don't want to talk,you can at least listen can't you?"

Dec shrugged his shoulders again,he was basically trying to concentrate on holding back the tears.

Of course Ant noticed this,how could he not?he saw how Decs eyes were swimming and put a comforting arm around him.

"Look,I know you're sad" Ant smiled "and I get it,I really do,we've had such a great time in this flat haven't we?we've made some amazing memories,well the ones we can actually remember because we weren't too drunk"

A small tear found it's way out of Decs eye and made a sad trail over his eyelash and down his flushed cheek.Ant smiled sympathetically and wiped it away with the back of his hand.

They both sat in silence for a few moments as Ant let Dec process what he'd been told.

Dec finally found his voice "where are you moving to?"

"Don't know yet" Ant replied "somewhere nice,might even buy a place,might not be around here though"

"You're gonna move out of Fulham?" Dec enquired,shocked at that possibility.

"Maybe" Ant replied "don't know yet,but listen Decs,this isn't necessarily a bad thing,so please don't think of it that way"

"Isn't it?" Dec asked sadly.

"Of course not" Ant grinned "we can't live together forever can we?"

"Why not?" Dec stated stubbornly.

"Come on kidda" Ant laughed "we're grown men now,even if we don't act like it very often,did you really think we'd be living together forever?even when we're thirty,forty or fifty?We've got to grow up at some point"

"I just don't know what I'm gonna do if you move out?where am I gonna live?" Dec whined childishly.

"Come on Declan" Ant replied slightly curtly "you've got to stand on your own two feet at some point,I can't keep on babysitting for you"

"I guess" Dec sighed,he never got offended these days when Ant used the 'babysitting' word as it was basically true,Ant had more or less become his surrogate parent since they moved to London,but both of them were happy with that arrangement and fell into their designated roles perfectly.

"You could move out too,ya know?" Ant suggested "you don't have to stay here if you don't want to,you can afford something much nicer or you could get someone else to move in here"

"NO" Dec stated firmly "that would be too weird,if I can't live with you,I don't want to live with anyone else" he paused for thought for a moment "when will I see you though?evenings and weekends aren't going to be much fun on my own are they?"

"What do you mean when will you see me?" Ant laughed "Dec,we work together practically twenty four seven,there will rarely be a day when we don't see each other and it's not like we're gonna stop socialising together just because I've moved out is it?believe it or not,I'd still like to hang out with you"

"Oh yeah?" Dec frowned "not sure Lisa will be very happy about that,she'll want time with you too"

"Are you crazy?" Ant laughed "Lisa loves you,sometimes i wonder if she loves you a little bit more than she loves me,she's always going on about how cute,lovable and funny you are,how can i even compete with that?Do you know what her nickname for you is?"

"What?" Dec asked curiously,he wasn't even aware that Lisa had a nickname for him.

"Decky-Doolittle" Ant grinned "cute eh?"

"Really?" Dec couldn't help but giggle at that,he quite liked the idea of his best mates girlfriend having a pet name for him.

"Yeah really" Ant smiled "you really don't need to worry mate,we're still gonna see loads of each other in and out of work,you won't have time to miss me and in any case,shouldn't you be spending time with your own girlfriend?"

"Well,I try" Dec sighed "same old story with us,often too busy to get together"

"You'll be grand Decs" Ant smiled "I'm still gonna be looking out for you no matter what,just because we're not living together,doesn't mean I won't care about you anymore,now give us a hug"

Ant held his arms out and pulled Dec in for a warm affectionate bear hug,kissing him on his head as he did so.

"You gonna be ok?" Ant enquired.

"Guess I'll have to be won't I?" Dec replied sadly "but i understand Ant,of course I do and obviously i want you to be happy,I'll just have to have a think about what I'm going to do next,I'm not sure I want to stay here without you"

"There's no hurry" Ant assured him "I'm not going anywhere just yet,it probably won't be for a couple of months,so you'll have plenty of time to get used to the idea"

"Yeah" Dec sighed "thanks for letting me know anyway.Think I'll have an early night,I'm exhausted"

"You do that Decs" Ant smiled "and don't you worry about any of this ok?it'll all be fine,I promise you"

"Yeah I know" Dec replied "goodnight"

Ant was happy with the outcome of his chat with Dec.He knew he'd be upset,but it turned out to be fine and his best friend had only gotten a little bit emotional.

So Ant was delighted that Dec understood where he was coming from,that he understood Ants need to spend more time with his girlfriend.He understood that Ant wanted and needed his own private life.Ant also knew that Dec would have understood if the roles were reversed.He knew he would be sad and upset if it was Dec that was moving out,but he also knew that it would be Decs happiness that was the most important thing.

What Ant didn't know was how his best friend was at that precise moment trying desperately to stifle the sound of his distraught tears as he sobbed despairingly into his pillow!