Ant McPartlin has spoken through tears for the first time about the loss of his beloved dog Hurley — revealing the Labrador died in his arms, surrounded by everyone who loved him 
.
The 50-year-old presenter opened up on his podcast with best friend and co-host Declan Donnelly, admitting the grief has been overwhelming.
“I’ve cried a lot,” Ant said quietly.
“It’s been awful.”
“My lovely boy”
As photos of Hurley appeared on screen, Ant struggled to hold back emotion.
“There’s my lovely boy, Hurley,” he said.
“A chalky brown Labrador. He was twelve-and-a-half.”
Hurley wasn’t just a pet — he was family 
. Ant has previously credited the dog with helping him through his darkest years, including his battle with addiction.
A goodbye filled with love
Hurley’s passing came suddenly, leaving Ant stunned.
“It was such a shock,” he admitted.
“But he passed away in my arms.”
In an incredibly poignant moment, Ant revealed that everyone Hurley loved was there for his final moments — including his ex-wife Lisa Armstrong.
Despite their painful divorce and years of legal disputes, Ant and Lisa reunited eight years after their split to say goodbye together 
.
“We were all there — all the family,” Ant said.
“It was very sad… but it was also very lovely.”
Tears on dog walks
Grief hasn’t faded with time.
Ant explained that everyday routines now trigger waves of emotion — especially walking his other two dogs 
.
“I still have to take them for walks,” he said.
“And I’ll just cry in the middle of the walk.”
Even making dog food has become unbearable.
“Their bowls are next to his bowl,” he added.
“I cried doing that too.”
Comfort from strangers
What has helped — unexpectedly — is kindness from people he doesn’t even know.
“Strangers come up to me in the street,” Ant said.
“They tell me they’re sorry. They tell me about pets they’ve lost.”
He paused before adding:
“It actually helps. It really does.”
For anyone who has loved — and lost — a pet, Ant had a message:
“My heart goes out to you.
I know how you feel.”
Lisa’s tribute: Forever our boy
Earlier this week, Lisa shared a deeply moving tribute on Instagram, posting throwback photos of Hurley as a puppy 
and sharing the poem Rainbow Bridge.
One line read:
“You were never just a dog — but always our best friend.”
She captioned one image simply:
“Forever our boy.” 
Friends including Anthea Turner, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Gemma Atkinson and Kelly Willoughby flooded her with messages of support 
.
More than a pet
Hurley’s death has quietly reminded many fans of something Ant said years ago — that the dog helped save his life.
And now, as Ant grieves, it’s clear Hurley left paw prints not just on carpets…
but on hearts 
.
Rest easy, Hurley.
You were loved — right to the very end.
