Of course Dec was right,the year to come would be amazing,although there would definitely be some blips along the way.

It started with the trip to Australia for the new series of 'I'm a celebrity,get me out of here' It was going brilliantly and had already become a favourite with the British public.There was just something satisfying about watching celebrities being put through disgusting trials and they had definitely got a lot more disgusting since the first series,that seemed so tame in comparison now.

Ant and Dec couldn't have been happier about getting away from the cold,drizzly English winter and being able to lap up the glorious,Australian sunshine,when they weren't working that was of course.

They knew this was already proving to be a belter of a series,just going by the celebrities that were taking part.They were especially amazed that John Lydon was a part of it and couldn't begin to imagine the trouble the aging singer from the Sex Pistols punk rock band would cause as the series got underway.

They didn't have to wait very long to find out.

As Ant and Dec read out the names of the campmates who had been saved by the public vote one day,John,who had made no secret of the fact he was desperate to leave,announced that the public were a "bunch of fucking cunts" live on air for leaving him to suffer in the jungle for yet another day.

Ant and Dec did their best to stifle their giggles and immediately apologised for the obscene language,knowing all hell would be breaking loose in TV land.

"I can't believe he said that" Dec grinned,as he and Ant sat in the hotel bar later that day.

"I can" Ant replied "he's a 70s punk rocker,shocking people is what they did best back in the day"

"Well,it's not the 70s anymore" Dec pointed out.

"True" Ant nodded "but old habits die hard I guess"

"Was funny though" Dec grinned "was so hard to keep a straight face"

"Yeah,it was" Ant agreed "just watch the complaints roll in now"

"Yeah" Dec nodded "still,it's all publicity"

"Ooh,you're sneaky Declan Donnelly" Ant joked "I wouldn't be surprised if you told him to say that"

"As if" Dec laughed "I wouldn't have dared"

Ant and Dec were having the time of their lives,they still couldn't believe this was their job.They were in Australia,getting paid for being there,spending lots of time on the beach and hanging out in bars and restaurants when they weren't working,sometimes they felt like they had to pinch themselves,just to make sure they weren't dreaming.

Of course being in Australia also had its pitfalls as Dec was to find out one day.

"You alright Decs?" Ant asked concerned one morning while they were waiting to go on air "you seem a bit quiet"

"Yeah,I'm ok" Dec lied,the truth was,he didn't feel well at all.

"You sure?" Ant wasn't convinced.

"Yeah" Dec mumbled.

Ant let it go for now,but he knew something wasn't right,he knew Dec inside out and knew when he was lying,in fact most people did as he was such a rubbish liar,but the show was about to go live,so Ant had to let it go for now,but he promised himself he would get to the bottom of what was bothering Dec afterwards.

Dec,ever the professional,battled his way through the live show and the recording of that days bushtucker trial immediately afterwards,not even giving an inkling that something was amiss.

Ant was relieved when recording was finally wrapped up and took Dec aside.

"So,do you want to tell me what's going on with you now?" Ant insisted.

"What?" Dec enquired innocently "I just don't feel a hundred percent"

"I can see that" Ant frowned "what exactly is wrong?"

"Dunno" Dec shrugged "I've just felt a bit queasy since I woke up,didn't even fancy any breakfast"

"Yeah,I noticed that" Ant replied "that's not like you at all,maybe you've got a touch of sunstroke or something?"

"Yeah could be" Dec agreed "but my finger really hurts too?"

"What?" Ant asked surprised.

"My finger hurts" Dec repeated.

"Oh my God Dec" Ant laughed "you feel ill because you've got a sore finger?you're ridiculous man"

"Hey" Dec replied offended "that's not fair,it really hurts"

"Show us this sore finger then" Ant grinned.

"See?" Dec stated as he waved his pinky finger in front of Ants face "it's red,I don't know why?"

"Better get that seen by medic Bob then,before it drops off" Ant winked.

"Maybe I will" Dec snapped back "but I'll give it till tomorrow at least,it might just get better by itself by then"

"Yeah,you do that" Ant laughed.

The next day,Dec still wasn't feeling right and his finger was still hurting him,so he made his way to the shows resident doctor as soon as their driver had dropped him and Ant off on set.

"I'm coming with you" Ant called out as he followed Dec towards the medics cabin "this I've got to see"

"You'll be sorry that you mocked me" Dec replied "when something is seriously wrong,look it's swollen up"

"Looks like a wart" Ant laughed as he inspected Decs finger"

"It is not a wart" Dec retorted "I don't get warts and anyway,they're gross"

"Tell that to your wart" Ant beamed.

"Hey Declan,Anthony" Bob smiled as the duo entered his working quarters "great show yesterday,how are you both?"

"He's got an ouchy on his finger" Ant quickly answered with a grin,before Dec had a chance to say anything.

"Has he now?" Bob replied "I guess I'd better take a look at this finger then,hadn't I?"

"Yeah" Dec replied,as he sat down in front of the experienced doctor and two other first aiders who had been chatting with Bob about what the day ahead might hold.

"Ah,I see" Bob muttered to himself,rather than anyone else.

"What" Dec replied concerned "what is it?"

"That,young Declan" Bob smiled "is a classic spider bite"

"What?" Dec frowned.

"A spider bite" Bob repeated.

"Oh God" Dec replied,now starting to feel even more queasy "is it poisonous?do I need to go to hospital?am I gonna die?oh God,I don't want to die"

"Calm down,will you Declan" Bob ordered in a stern,but caring voice "of course you're not going to die,you're going to be absolutely fine,you'll just feel a bit ill for a while,but I'm going to have to do something to relieve the pain and reduce the risk of infection"

"What?" Dec asked concerned.

"Drain the wound" Bob frowned.

"How are you going to do that?" Dec enquired.

"Pierce it with a needle" Bob smiled.

"He's not fond of needles are you Decs?" Ant informed Bob,both of them noticing how Dec had already started to go pale at the thought.

"Ah,don't worry about that" Bob assured Dec in his fatherly tone "it'll be over with in two seconds and is definitely preferable to suffering in silence"

"Oh,he definitely wouldn't be silent" Ant laughed.

"I just meant that spider bites can be very painful" Bob stated "and draining the wound can help with that"

"Yeah" Dec nodded "it really hurts"

"Ok" Ant smiled "I'm going to pop out to phone Mam while Bob sorts you out"

Ant was relieved it had been nothing to worry about in the end.Yes,he'd taken the mickey out of Dec for having a sore finger,but the truth of the matter was that he had been concerned that Dec obviously didn't feel well,he teased Dec because that was what came naturally to the both of them,but he had also played it down and joked about it so Dec wouldn't panic and get frightened that something was seriously wrong,Ants cunning ploy seemed to have worked.

"Decs been bitten by a spider" Ant informed some of the crew as he made his way back to the cabin "he's fine though,nowt to worry about"

That was what Ant thought,until he opened the door to Bobs workplace and was greeted by the sight of Dec laying flat on his back,with his legs raised up onto a chair,breathing into an oxygen mask.

"What the hell...?" Ant shouted out shocked.

"He's fine Ant" Bob assured him.

"He doesn't look fine" Ant pointed out "what happened?"

"He fainted" Bob frowned.

"Fainted?why?" Ant was confused "but you said the bite wasn't serious,why would he faint?"

"Er...no,it's not serious" Bob confirmed "he fainted because of the needle"

"What?" Ant slumped down onto the nearest chair,unable to control his deep,belly laughs "oh my God Declan,what is wrong with you?"

"Aww,come on Anthony" Bob smiled "lots of people have a fear of needles"

"Yeah,they do" Dec stated,glancing up at Ant from his position on the floor "and there was blood,you know I don't like blood,at least I got some sympathy from Bob"

"Ok,you two" Bob grinned "let's not start with your bickering now shall we?"

Bob shook his head affectionately at the two young men.He had become increasingly fond of them over the last couple of years since they had started filming down under.They made him laugh every day with their banter and he admired the relationship they had with each other.He was actually very protective of them in a fatherly way and didn't like to see either of them suffering,even if it was "only a spider bite" as Ant kept reminding Dec.

"How are you feeling now?" Bob asked Dec as he helped him up off of the floor and into a chair.

"Yeah,much better thanks" Dec smiled then nodded towards Ant"no thanks to him,I can't believe you took photos of me lying on the floor"

"Why would I miss a golden opportunity like that?" Ant grinned "gonna show them to everyone back home"

"Eejit" Dec scowled.

"Alright boys,that's enough of that" Bob scolded "I recommend you go back to the hotel once the show's done and rest for a couple of hours and don't go in the sea today,salt water will make it sting like hell and I'll prescribe you a course of painkillers"

"Yeah,I'll just take it easy as much as I can today" Dec smiled "thanks Bob"

"Yeah,thanks Bob" Ant called out as they made their way outside and towards the set.

"Just don't say a word" Dec snapped.

"What?" Ant enquired "I didn't say anything"

"I know you didn't yet" Dec replied "but I know you will"

"Oh will I?" Ant grinned "you mean you don't want me to say anything about the fact you fainted?about the fact that it was the needle that made you keel over and not even because a huge spider decided to have your finger for breakfast?you don't want me to say anything about that?"

"Bob said it wouldn't have been a huge spider" Dec informed him "he said the tiny ones can be pretty dangerous too,that's probably why I never saw it,could have happened anywhere"

"Or it could have happened in your room" Ant teased "might be hiding in your bed right now ready for it's second course"

"Shut up" Dec sighed "I'm never gonna hear the last of this am I?"

"Nope" Ant grinned.

"And you really will tell everyone back home about this won't you?" Dec frowned.

"Yep" Ant laughed.

"Well,I'll get you back one day" Dec replied with an over exaggerated sinister smile "just you wait and see"

Ant didn't doubt that,but he wouldn't dwell on it for now.They had the rest of the series to complete and as soon as they got home,they had to carry on planning the new series of 'Saturday Night Takeaway'

The writers,producers and crew of that show had been working on ideas while the boys had been away,but as soon as they returned home and got over their jet lag,they were back sat around a boardroom table with ideas being fired at them left,right and centre.

"You'll love the idea we had for one of the Ant versus Dec challenges" Jason,one of the production members announced.

"Oh no" Dec shook his head playfully "I dread to think what you've got in store for us now,please nothing to do with heights"

"No,no heights" Jason grinned "it's even better than that"

"Come on then" Ant replied eagerly,having always been the more adventurous of the two presenters,he couldn't wait to find out what was on their minds.

"A motorbike challenge" Jason stated,enjoying the looks of surprise on both Ant and Decs faces.

"A motorbike challenge?" Dec asked curiously.

"Sounds brilliant" Ant stated.

"Sounds dangerous" Dec frowned.

"What exactly do we have to do?" Ant asked excitedly.

"Well" Jason continued "you're going to go to Wales where a professional stunt riding team are going to train you to jump through a hoop on the motorbike"

"Jump through a hoop?" Dec frowned "how are we gonna do that?I've never even ridden a motorbike"

"Well,that's exactly what you're training will be for" Jason smiled "you'll soon know how"

"I can't bloody wait" Ant grinned "right up my street this is"

"Yeah,well you're more of a daredevil than me" Dec replied.

"Come on Decs" Ant smiled and nudged him gently in the ribs "don't knock it till you've tried it,it'll be fun and we'll be looked after won't we Jason?"

"Of course you will" Jason replied "ITV aren't going to let anything happen to their best presenters are they?"

"I guess not" Dec smiled "ok,let's do it"

"Great" Jason grinned "there is one more little detail I haven't told you about yet though"

"What's that?" Dec asked curiously,not sure he actually wanted to hear the answer.

"Well" Jason paused for thought for a moment "the hoop is..."

"The hoop is what?" Ant cut in,the adrenaline already coursing through his veins.

Jason looked at Ant,then Dec,the expressions on the two presenters faces couldn't have been more different.Ant was smiling with excitement and anticipation of what was about to be announced,but Dec was frowning with worry and dread.

"Well" Jason smiled.

"The hoop is going to be on fire!"