Ant and Dec Buy Back Their £850,000 Childhood Home in Newcastle – But Stun Fans by Giving It Away 🌟🏡
On a misty May evening in 2025, Newcastle’s West End buzzed with a warmth that rivaled the 150,000-strong Carabao Cup parade in March, where Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, both 49, had led Newcastle United’s victory celebrations.
The Geordie duo, icons of Britain’s Got Talent and stewards of a £40 million TV empire, made headlines again by purchasing their childhood home—a modest three-bedroom terraced house on Fenham’s Cedar Road—for £850,000. But what left the city and the nation in awe was their decision not to keep it for themselves.
Instead, they gifted it to a struggling Newcastle family, a gesture revealed on This Morning on May 19, 2025, with hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond. The story of their selfless act, rooted in nostalgia and compassion, inspired millions, proving that home is where the heart gives back.
A Return to Roots
Ant and Dec, born and raised in Newcastle’s working-class West End, had often spoken of their childhood on Cedar Road, where they met as neighbors at age 11, forging a friendship that led to Byker Grove and global fame. Their love for Newcastle shone through—seen in their 2025 Carabao Cup parade interviews with players like Bruno Guimarães for Sky Sports and their £1 million NSPCC donations in 2024. The idea to buy back the house, listed for sale in early 2025, sparked during a 2024 visit to their old street, where Ant, reflecting on his 2021 rehab journey in The Sun, felt a pull to “honor where we started,” Dec nodding in agreement.
The £850,000 purchase, funded from their personal fortunes, was no small feat for a house once valued at £30,000 in the 1980s, reflecting Newcastle’s rising property market, per 2024 The Chronicle data. The terraced home, with its red-brick facade and memories of Ant and Dec’s teenage jam sessions, was a symbol of their roots. But rather than turning it into a nostalgic retreat or Airbnb, they had a bolder plan. “This house made us,” Ant told This Morning. “We wanted it to make someone else’s dreams.”
The Surprising Gift
On This Morning, with Dermot and Alison beaming, Ant and Dec shared their decision to gift the house to the Carter family: single mother Jenny Carter, 34, and her two children, Mia, 10, and Noah, 7. Jenny, a care worker, had faced eviction from a rented flat in Byker after losing her partner in 2023, a story Ant and Dec learned through a Newcastle homelessness charity they’d supported via 2019 Text Santa funds. “Jenny’s resilience, raising those kids on £20,000 a year, reminded us of our mums,” Dec said, his Geordie accent thick. “This house is theirs now—no mortgage, no rent.”
The Carters, introduced via video, stood in the refurbished Cedar Road home, its walls repainted, kitchen modernized, and Mia’s bedroom adorned with Newcastle United posters. Jenny, tearful, said, “Ant and Dec gave us a home, but more than that—a future.” The duo had also set up a £10,000 trust for Mia and Noah’s education, ensuring stability. Dermot, who’d teared up in 2023 over a viewer’s story, said, “Lads, you’ve outdone yourselves.” Alison, moved, added, “This is Geordie heart at its best.”
The choice stunned fans, who’d expected the duo to keep the house as a personal memento, given their £62 million combined net worth, per 2024 The Sun. Instead, their act echoed their 2023 Text Santa ethos: “Give where it’s needed.” Ant shared a memory of his mam, Sarha, cooking for neighbors on Cedar Road, saying, “This is what Newcastle does—lifts each other up.” Dec nodded, recalling their 1990s Byker Grove days, filming nearby, dreaming big in that very house.
A Touch of This Morning Magic
Alison, known for heartfelt gestures in your prior requests, unveiled a surprise for the Carters: a hand-crafted housewarming basket, filled with Newcastle-made jams, a quilt embroidered with “Cedar Road,” and art supplies for Mia, who loved drawing. “For your new start,” Alison said, her Birmingham accent warm, tying to their 2024 Mary’s Meals appeal. Dec, clutching the quilt, said, “Al, you’re a star!” Holly Willoughby, guest-hosting, announced a £30,000 donation in Jenny’s name to Shelter, a charity Ant and Dec backed in 2022, to support other families. “This house is a spark,” Holly said, her Dancing on Ice poise evident.
Jenny, holding Mia’s hand on-screen, showed a plaque outside the house, engraved: “Cedar Road Home, Gifted by Ant & Dec, 2025.” She’d already started a community garden in the backyard, inviting neighbors, echoing the street’s tight-knit past. The audience cheered, with Josie Gibson tweeting, “Ant and Dec giving their old home to Jenny’s family? I’m a mess! 😭🏡.”
A City and Nation Inspired
The story exploded online, with an X post—“Ant and Dec bought their £850k childhood home and gave it to a struggling family? Crying! 😭🌟 #CedarRoad”—hitting 3.5 million views. A clip of Jenny’s speech, captioned “Home is hope,” trended with #CedarRoad, amassing 4 million streams. Fans tweeted, “Ant and Dec giving their old house to Jenny and her kids? That’s Geordie soul! 🥰,” while another wrote, “Alison’s basket, Holly’s donation—This Morning made this epic! 💖.” The Telegraph headlined, “Ant and Dec’s £850k Home Gift Redefines Generosity.”
The act inspired action, with £80,000 donated to Shelter via a crowdfunding page, per The Chronicle, and locals volunteering to furnish the Carters’ home. Dee Koppang, Dermot’s wife, posted on Instagram: a photo of Kasper, 4, with a toy house, captioned, “Ant and Dec, you’ve lit up Newcastle.” Ant and Dec told Radio Times, “Jenny and her kids are the real heroes—this house is their story now.” Mia, thriving, hung her first drawing—a Newcastle skyline—in the living room, beside a 2025 parade photo of Ant and Dec, tying their gift to the city’s heart.
A Legacy of Giving Back
By June 1, 2025, the Carters were settled, with Jenny training for a better-paying job through a charity Ant and Dec supported. The duo launched a This Morning “Home Fund,” raising £180,000 for homeless families, with Alison and Holly hosting a segment showcasing Mia’s drawing. Fans on X summed it up, one writing, “Ant and Dec’s £850k home gift to the Carters? Newcastle’s pride shines! 🌟🏡.” Another tweeted, “From Cedar Road to hope, with Alison’s touch, this is why we love them! 💙.” As Jenny’s garden bloomed, Ant and Dec’s selfless act—giving their childhood home to a family in need—proved that the greatest homes are built on love, uplifting Newcastle and beyond. 🌟🏡
