Ant & Dec Buy 132 Tickets to Alton Towers for Kids Battling Cancer — But the Real Surprise Waited at the End of the Ride

While filming a special ITV advert at Alton Towers, Ant & Dec discover a group of children with terminal cancer who have never been to a theme park before. The pair secretly fund all 132 tickets, taking the children on a day of fun. But the biggest surprise is when the roller coaster pulls up at the end of the ride, Dec is waiting with a giant bear and a promise: “We’ll be back tomorrow — and we’ll go again.”

Ant & Dec’s Alton Towers Adventure: A Day of Joy and Surprises

The sun hung low over the rolling hills of Staffordshire, casting a golden glow across the sprawling grounds of Alton Towers. The theme park, alive with the screams of thrill-seekers and the hum of roller coasters, was buzzing with an extra layer of excitement on this particular day. Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, better known as Ant & Dec, were at the park, filming a special advert for ITV. The duo, famous for their infectious laughter and heartfelt camaraderie, were in their element, cracking jokes and charming the crew. But amidst the lights, cameras, and scripted banter, something extraordinary was about to unfold—a moment that would change the lives of 132 children forever.

It started innocently enough. Between takes near the towering Smiler roller coaster, Ant noticed a small group of children standing at a distance, their eyes wide with wonder. They weren’t riding the rides or queuing for candy floss. Instead, they stood quietly, some clutching the hands of nurses or parents, their faces a mix of awe and hesitation. Intrigued, Ant nudged Dec and pointed them out. “Who are they?” he whispered, his Geordie accent thick with curiosity.

Dec, ever the inquisitive one, wandered over to a nearby staff member to inquire. What he learned stopped him in his tracks. These children, 132 in total, were part of a group from a local charity supporting kids with terminal cancer. Many of them had never been to a theme park before—some had never even left the hospital for more than a day. The charity had brought them to Alton Towers for a rare outing, but the cost of tickets was prohibitive, and most could only watch from the sidelines.

Dec’s heart sank. He glanced back at Ant, who was now chatting with a young girl in a bright yellow scarf, her smile radiant despite the frailty in her frame. Ant was making her laugh, mimicking a roller coaster’s twists and turns with exaggerated arm movements. Dec knew that look on his best friend’s face—it was the one that said, “We’ve got to do something.”

Without a word to the crew, Ant and Dec huddled together, their usual playful banter replaced by a quiet determination. “We can’t let these kids just stand there,” Ant said, his voice low but firm. “They deserve to feel the wind in their hair, to scream their heads off on a ride, to just… be kids.”

Dec nodded. “Let’s pay for their tickets. All of them.”

It was no small feat. Alton Towers wasn’t cheap, and 132 tickets would cost a small fortune. But Ant and Dec weren’t just TV stars—they were men who knew the power of a single moment of joy. They’d spent years bringing smiles to millions through their shows, and now, they had a chance to make a difference in person. Quietly, they approached the park’s management and arranged to cover the cost of full-day passes for every child, ensuring no one would know it was them. They wanted the day to belong to the kids, not to their fame.

As the news spread to the charity organizers, tears welled up in their eyes. The children, unaware of the behind-the-scenes magic, were ushered into the park with wristbands that granted them access to every ride, every game, every corner of Alton Towers. The air filled with their excited chatter, their laughter echoing as they raced toward the first ride of the day: the Nemesis Inferno.

Ant and Dec, still filming their advert, kept an eye on the group from a distance. They saw a boy named Jamie, no older than ten, gripping his dad’s hand as they boarded the ride. Jamie’s eyes sparkled with a mix of fear and exhilaration as the coaster roared to life. Nearby, a girl named Lily, who’d been too shy to speak earlier, was now squealing with delight as she spun on the teacups with her nurse. For these kids, many of whom had spent months in sterile hospital rooms, this was more than a day out—it was a taste of freedom.

The duo couldn’t resist joining in. Between takes, they slipped away from the crew and mingled with the kids, challenging them to arcade games and sharing ice cream cones. Ant, ever the competitor, lost spectacularly at a ring toss game to a twelve-year-old named Mia, who giggled as she claimed her prize—a stuffed dinosaur. Dec, meanwhile, found himself surrounded by a group of kids begging him to ride the Oblivion with them. “I’m not sure my stomach can handle it!” he protested, but their enthusiasm was infectious, and soon he was strapped in, screaming alongside them as the coaster plunged into its infamous drop.

As the day wore on, the children’s energy seemed boundless. They rode the Wicker Man, laughed through the log flume’s splash, and marveled at the park’s gardens. Parents and nurses watched in awe, some wiping away tears as they saw their kids light up in ways they hadn’t in months. For Ant and Dec, every smile was worth the secrecy, every laugh a reminder of why they’d done this.

But the real magic was yet to come.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, the group gathered for one final ride on the Smiler, the roller coaster that had first caught Ant’s eye. The kids piled into the cars, their voices a chorus of excitement. Ant and Dec, now finished with filming, stood at the ride’s exit, waiting. They’d planned one last surprise, something to make this day unforgettable.

When the roller coaster screeched to a stop and the kids tumbled out, flushed and giddy, they found Dec standing there, holding the biggest teddy bear anyone had ever seen. Its fluffy arms were almost as wide as Dec himself, and the kids burst into laughter at the sight. “You lot thought that was it?” Dec called out, his grin wide. “We’ve got one more thing for you!”

Ant stepped forward, his voice warm and earnest. “We’ve had the best day watching you all have the time of your lives. So, we’ve decided… we’re coming back tomorrow. And we’re doing it all again!”

The crowd erupted. Kids cheered, parents gasped, and nurses exchanged stunned glances. For many of these children, tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed to be a good day—or a day at all. But Ant and Dec’s promise meant another chance to feel alive, to forget the hospital beds and the treatments, even if just for a few more hours.

As the group dispersed, clutching their wristbands and newfound treasures, Jamie approached Ant. “Thank you,” he said quietly, his small hand slipping into Ant’s. “Today was the best day ever.”

Ant knelt down, his eyes soft. “You’re welcome, mate. See you tomorrow.”

That night, as the park lights dimmed and the crew packed up, Ant and Dec sat on a bench, watching the last of the families leave. They didn’t speak much—there was no need. They’d given 132 kids a day of pure, unfiltered joy, and the promise of another. It wasn’t about the cameras or the fame. It was about Jamie’s smile, Lily’s squeal, Mia’s dinosaur, and the countless other moments that would live on in those children’s hearts.

The next day, true to their word, Ant and Dec returned. And as the roller coasters roared to life once more, so did the laughter, the hope, and the magic of a day that none of them would ever forget.