Sarah Cawood Recalls ‘Face-Crashing’ Declan Donnelly Kiss

Key Points

• Sarah Cawood has revealed she “face-crashed” Declan Donnelly with a kiss at the wrap party for the 2004 series of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
• The television presenter, now 53, said she “refreshed” her lip gloss before instigating the kiss with Donnelly, now 50, in a corridor near the toilets.
• Cawood believes Donnelly only kissed her back “to be polite” and admitted she had misread his feelings towards her.
• She made the revelation while speaking to Best magazine’s editor-in-chief Siobhan Wykes on the publication’s Suddenly Single podcast.
• Cawood said she had been covering I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! for This Morning during the series in which Katie Price and Peter Andre got together.
• She admitted that, in her head, she had already picked out a wedding dress after the encounter, despite Donnelly not reciprocating her feelings.
• Donnelly has been married to talent manager Ali Astall, 47, since 2015.
• Cawood also revealed she “face-crashed one of the groomsmen” at Holly Willoughby and Daniel Baldwin’s wedding in 2007.
• The former Live and Kicking host, who married Andy Merry in 2012, described herself as “an absolute disaster” during that period of her life.

London (Britain Today News) July 28, 2026 – Sarah Cawood has revealed she once “face-crashed” Declan Donnelly with an unexpected kiss at the wrap party for the 2004 series of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, admitting she had convinced herself the pair would make a “cute little couple” before the ITV host kissed her back “probably just to be polite”.

The television presenter, now 53, made the confession while speaking to Best magazine’s editor-in-chief Siobhan Wykes on the latest episode of the publication’s Suddenly Single podcast. As reported by Siobhan Wykes of Best magazine, Cawood described how she had “refreshed” her lip gloss before instigating the kiss with Donnelly, now 50, in a corridor near the gents’ toilets during the party, which marked the end of the second series of the ITV jungle survival show.

Cawood’s remarks offer a rare and candid glimpse into the presenter’s personal life during the mid-2000s, a period she has previously acknowledged was marked by chaotic romantic decisions. Her comments come as the Suddenly Single podcast continues to feature frank conversations with well-known figures from British television and entertainment about their dating histories, break-ups and personal reflections.

What Did Sarah Cawood Say About Declan Donnelly?

Speaking candidly on the podcast, Cawood recalled the circumstances that led to the encounter with Donnelly. As reported by Siobhan Wykes of Best magazine, Cawood said:

“I went to cover I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! for This Morning when Jordan [Katie Price’s pseudonym] and Peter [Andre] got together.”

She continued to explain that the atmosphere at the wrap party had encouraged her to act on feelings she had developed for Donnelly during her time covering the show. According to the account relayed by Wykes, Cawood said:

“And there was a lovely big wrap party, and I fancied Dec. I remember thinking we’d make a lovely cute little couple because we’re both quite diminutive. And I thought he fancied me. I think I might have misread that!”

How Did the ‘Face-Crash’ Kiss Happen?

Cawood went into detail about the exact moment the kiss took place, describing a scenario that unfolded outside the toilets at the venue. As relayed by Siobhan Wykes of Best magazine, Cawood explained:

“Anyway, I’d had a glass, obviously; I refreshed the lip gloss. And I came out of the toilet, and he was going into the gents, which was beside it. And I just face-crashed, what I would call a face-crash, which is when you instigate a kiss.”

The presenter’s use of the term “face-crash” appears to be a phrase of her own coining, used to describe a situation in which one person actively initiates a kiss with another, regardless of whether the feeling is mutual. The term featured prominently throughout her conversation with Wykes as she reflected on several romantic misadventures from her past.

Why Did Sarah Cawood Think Declan Donnelly Fancied Her?

According to Cawood’s own account, she had formed the impression during her time on set that Donnelly reciprocated her feelings, largely based on a perceived compatibility between the pair. As she told Wykes, Cawood believed their similar height and personalities made them well suited, saying she thought

“we’d make a lovely cute little couple because we’re both quite diminutive.”

However, Cawood was candid in admitting that her assumption may have been mistaken, telling the podcast host she may have “misread” the situation entirely. This admission underlines the reflective and self-deprecating tone that ran through much of her conversation with Wykes on the Suddenly Single podcast.

What Was Declan Donnelly’s Reaction to the Kiss?

Cawood described Donnelly’s response to the kiss as polite rather than passionate, suggesting he did not share her romantic interest at the time. As reported by Siobhan Wykes of Best magazine, Cawood said:

“He did kiss back, probably just to be polite. And then as we pulled away, he just touched his lips and went, ‘Oh, you’ve just applied.’ Smothered him in lip gloss.”

The presenter went on to add further detail about Donnelly’s reaction immediately afterwards, telling Wykes:

“He even vaguely reciprocated, and I got very excited.”

This remark suggests that, despite her later acknowledgement that Donnelly may not have felt the same way, Cawood took his response as encouragement at the time.

Did Sarah Cawood Imagine a Future With Declan Donnelly?

In one of the more light-hearted moments of the podcast episode, Cawood admitted that a single kiss had been enough for her to begin imagining a long-term relationship with Donnelly. As relayed by Siobhan Wykes of Best magazine, Cawood said:

“I mean, this was young Sarah – one kiss, and we were married. Proper Bridget Jones. Honestly, I was an absolute disaster.”

Cawood’s self-comparison to the fictional character Bridget Jones, known for her comedic and often chaotic approach to romance, appeared to reflect the tone she wished to strike throughout the interview, treating the episode as an amusing anecdote from her younger years rather than a source of embarrassment.

Who Is Declan Donnelly Married To?

Declan Donnelly, who did not return Cawood’s romantic feelings at the time of the incident, has been married to talent manager Ali Astall, 47, since 2015. The couple share a daughter together and have largely kept their family life away from the public spotlight, despite Donnelly’s continued prominence as one of British television’s most recognisable presenters through his long-running partnership with Anthony McPartlin.

Cawood made no suggestion that her feelings towards Donnelly persisted beyond the period discussed on the podcast, framing the episode firmly as a moment from her past rather than an ongoing matter.

What Happened at Holly Willoughby’s Wedding?

The conversation with Wykes also touched on another instance in which Cawood said she had “face-crashed” someone at a high-profile event. As reported by Siobhan Wykes of Best magazine, Cawood revealed that she had also kissed one of the groomsmen at former This Morning host Holly Willoughby’s wedding to television producer Daniel Baldwin in 2007.

Describing the incident, Cawood said:

“I was really quite drunk… I shoved him against the marquee, and face-crashed him, and then I took myself off to bed.”

She went on to reflect on the pattern of behaviour, telling the podcast:

“I realised it was time.”

Willoughby, 45, and Baldwin, 51, married in 2007, and Cawood’s remarks suggest the wedding took place during a period she has since acknowledged involved a degree of impulsive behaviour on her part.

Who Is Sarah Cawood Married To?

Cawood, best known to British audiences as a former host of Live and Kicking, married Andy Merry in 2012. The presenter’s reflections on the podcast appeared to draw a clear line between her earlier, more chaotic dating years and her current settled personal life, with Cawood using the interview as an opportunity to look back on her past with humour rather than regret.

Her openness about past romantic missteps, including the incidents involving Donnelly and the unnamed groomsman at Willoughby’s wedding, formed part of a broader conversation on the podcast about the presenter’s dating history and personal growth over the years.

What Is the Suddenly Single Podcast?

The interview took place on Best magazine’s Suddenly Single podcast, hosted by the publication’s editor-in-chief, Siobhan Wykes. The podcast series features conversations with well-known personalities from the world of British television and entertainment, focusing on themes of dating, relationships, break-ups and personal reflection.

Cawood’s appearance on the podcast saw her speak openly about a number of romantic episodes from her past, with the Donnelly anecdote forming one of the standout moments of the conversation due to Donnelly’s continued high profile as a co-host of ITV’s I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!.
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What Else Did Sarah Cawood Reveal About Her Past Romances?

Beyond the Donnelly anecdote and the incident at Willoughby’s wedding, Cawood’s conversation with Wykes painted a picture of a presenter willing to laugh at her own past behaviour. Her repeated use of the term “face-crash” throughout the interview suggested this was a recurring pattern during a particular period of her life, one she now appears comfortable discussing publicly.

Cawood’s candour on the Suddenly Single podcast is likely to resonate with listeners familiar with her television career, which included high-profile presenting roles during the 1990s and 2000s. Her willingness to revisit these moments, including her admission that she had been “an absolute disaster” at times, reflects a self-aware and light-hearted approach to discussing her own dating history.

What Has Been the Reaction to Sarah Cawood’s Revelations?

At the time of publication, neither Sarah Cawood nor Declan Donnelly had issued any additional public comment beyond what was shared on the Suddenly Single podcast. The anecdote, relayed directly from the podcast episode hosted by Siobhan Wykes, stands as Cawood’s own account of events from the 2004 wrap party for I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!.

Given Donnelly’s enduring popularity as a co-host of the ITV jungle survival show alongside Anthony McPartlin, the revelation is likely to generate significant interest among viewers of the programme, many of whom will be familiar with the show’s history dating back to its early series.