Ant McPartlin HIDES his wedding finger while posing for fan selfie after arriving back in Newcastle alone... as he 'spends Christmas away from wife Lisa Armstrong amid marital woes'

Published: 20:00 GMT, 24 December 2017 | Updated: 21:08 GMT, 24 December 2017

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Reports have been rife that he's experiencing marital woes with wife Lisa Armstrong.

And Ant McPartlin, 42, did little to dispel the hear'say as he posed for a photograph with a fan in his hometown of Newcastle while ensuring to hide his wedding finger.

The TV presenter looked to be in high spirits as he stopped by a barbershop for a trim ahead of Christmas - however failed to display his left hand, which seemed to hint at growing speculation of troubles within his marriage.

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Rumours: Ant McPartlin, 42, did little to dispel 'marital woe' rumours as he posed for a photograph with a fan in his hometown of Newcastle while ensuring to hide his wedding finger

This comes after Ant touched down in Newcastle on Saturday, ahead of the Christmas festivities - but arrived on his flight alone.

Looking downtrodden despite the season, the TV star appeared to also be without his wedding ring.

In pictures obtained by The Sun, Ant was seen dragging a suitcase through the Arrivals terminal - but there was no sign of his wife Lisa Armstrong, 41, who he is said to be experiencing marital difficulties with.

The Sun reports that a source close to him said: '[Ant] knows he and Lisa have to make a decision about their future. Ant doesn’t feel there is any future in the marriage, and while Lisa is hoping there’s a chance they can turn things around, he doesn’t see how they can.

Downtrodden: On Saturday, Ant was spotted looking downcast as he arrived in Newcastle ALONE to spend Christmas with his mother... as wife Lisa Armstrong was no-where to be seen amid 'marital woes' (stock photograph)

'He cares for her desperately, but just can’t see a way back. So he felt it was best he spent Christmas up North with his mum and gave them both some space to think ahead of the New Year.

'He’s now looking forward to a family Christmas and trying to put a brave face on things.'

MailOnline has approached Ant's rep for comment.

The couple have reportedly been living apart, with Ant moving out of their £6m property earlier this year to attend rehab for an addiction to super-strong painkillers.

Ant was seen to have wrapped himself up in a black winter coat, jeans and a flat cap and was seen looking fraught as he took a phone call on a bench outside the terminal.

He was seen smoking a cigarette as he waited to be collected from the airport.

Troubled: He is said to have left Lisa at home in London to 'give her time to think' - with Ant heading back to native Newcastle to join his mother Christine for the holidays

The sighting comes after rumours he would indeed be spending Christmas with his wife, 'even if it is their last'.

According to sources close to Ant, he was keen to spend another festive season with his wife of eleven years. The source told Heat magazine: 'She's said they will see each other over Christmas.

'Lisa would rather stay friendly than be resentful. She doesn't want to ruin what they had – this isn't a blame game.

'Ant wants to spend this Christmas with Lisa as her husband – even if this could be the last time.'

Biting back: Stand by your man: Ant's outing came after his wife Lisa Armstrong defended their union, when a Twitter troll accused her of 'throwing away her marriage' [pictured in 2007]

On Tuesday, the former Byker Grove actor was seen walking his pet pooch Hurley, puffing on a cigarette.

However, the I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! host's outing came after his wife defended their union, when a Twitter troll accused her of 'throwing away her marriage'.

The Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist told a social media user to 'get their facts right' when they reportedly begged her to understand Ant's recovery from an addiction to pain medication.

Lisa entered into the Twitter spat on Sunday amid claims husband Ant had moved into a rented home during the Christmas period.

A post on Lisa's Twitter account read: 'Educate yourself first love and get your facts rights. You don’t know!! Sorry for your pain x'

'We're not estranged': Lisa (here in 2001) broke her silence about the split when she said she was not estranged from husband of 11 years Ant

According to the Daily Star, she was replying to a user who wrote: 'Can't believe your throwing your marriage away after all them years. (sic)

'I've been addicted to codeine and unless you have been there you wouldn't understand waking up in morning kidneys hurting for the habit to be fed educate yourself about it first @LisaAmakeup.'

Last month Lisa finally broke her silence on reports of the marital woes. She took to Twitter to hit back at the long-running reports that the duo have separated, as she penned on the microblogging site: 'I'm not estranged thank you'.

She added that she hadn't been to Australia for 10 years so it wasn't a surprise that she hadn't joined Ant in the jungle during his stint on I'm A Celebrity.

Instead, she stayed in the UK for her work with BBC One's Strictly and Ant returned to England from Australia last week, but it's claimed that he did not return to their marital home.

The television presenter was seen moving a mattress into a bachelor pad over the weekend, while his pal Declan Donnelly returned his beloved dog Hurley.

Ant has reportedly been living away from Lisa since he returned from Oz, renting a house a few streets away.

Have they/haven't they? The couple have reportedly been living apart, with Ant moving out of their £6m property earlier this year to attend rehab for an addiction to super-strong painkillers [pictured in 2002]