Overview
- Declan Donnelly told listeners on his Hanging Out with Ant and Dec podcast that he used a self‑service checkout at the M&S in Bridgwater Services and walked out without paying.
- He said he only realised the error after starting to eat the sandwich and then tried to ring the service station before calling his office to report the mistake.
- Bridgwater Services staff told his team they could not take payment after the fact and asked for a donation to the station’s chosen charity, which Donnelly made to Mind.
- Donnelly apologised publicly on the podcast and there are no reports of police action or further formal consequence in the coverage.
- The episode has been widely reported as a personal accountability moment that also highlights industry concerns that self‑service checkouts can weaken staff‑customer contact and make unpaid departures more likely.