Declan Donnelly apologised for accidentally ‘shoplifting’ whilst leaving an M&S shop at Bridgwater Services with groceries he had not paid for.
Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast with Ant McPartlin, the presenter explained the checkout slip and his efforts to fix it.
He said the incident happened during his drive home from Cornwall with his wife, Ali Astall.
Dec has now donated to a charity partner after the services suggested that solution.
Declan Donnelly shares ‘shoplifting’ incident
Dec said he acted quickly after discovering the mistake. After Dec could not reach the services, his office contacted staff and explained the missed payment.
The team asked how he could settle the cost after leaving. According to Dec, staff thanked him for his honesty and said nothing could be done at that stage.
They instead suggested a donation to an M&S partner charity. He followed that advice and paid more than the food had cost.
Dec explained: “For slightly more actually than the sandwiches cost. I made a donation to charity to cover the sandwiches.”
Dec shares his arrest fears in podcast confession
Dec introduced the story to Ant with a dramatic line. He admitted: “I nearly got arrested yesterday. I broke the law yesterday, I should have got arrested yesterday.”
He repeatedly called the unpaid shopping a breach of the law during their conversation. His concern grew because he believed staff had recognised him in the store.
Ant reacted with surprise before teasing his co-host about the mistake. He noted that Dec was among Britain’s most recognisable men, making the slip harder to overlook.
Ant kept the mood playful while Dec outlined his attempts to resolve matters.
After learning M&S had not contacted Dec, he joked about losing a potential podcast sponsor.
How Declan Donnelly missed the checkout payment
The incident happened as Dec and Ali drove back from Cornwall after a holiday.
They stopped midway through the long journey for a toilet break and food. The couple chose an M&S and picked up sandwiches, crisps, a sweet treat and chicken to share.
At the self-service checkout, Dec scanned their food and added a bag for life.
He also scanned his Sparks card, then left without completing the payment.
He recalled: “I just walked off. I put everything in the bag. Bleeped me Sparks card. Didn’t pay for anything.”
Dec only noticed the error once he started eating his egg, bacon and maple sandwich.
He immediately told Ali that he had not paid for their shopping. The presenter first tried calling the services himself, but could not get through.
Eventually, he got through to his office. He said: “I say, ‘I’m really sorry. I have just shoplifted at Bridgwater Services.'”
His office then contacted the services and solved the issue.
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