Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly have announced their TV return just hours after they upset fans with the news they are quitting Saturday Night Takeaway. The duo confirmed that they will stop filming their much-loved ITV show after series 20, due to air early 2024.
Saturday Night Takeaway has received multiple Bafta and National Television Awards (NTA), including presenting accolades for McPartlin and Donnelly, since its launch in 2002. But it's not the first time a break has been had as the series previously took a pause in 2009, returning four years later in 2013.
But sharing the news on Thursday (May 18) in a video posted to social media, Ant and Dec said reaching the "milestone" of 20 series seemed like the "perfect time to pause for a little while and catch our breath".
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"The show takes up such a lot of our year, we just feel we need a little bit of a breather and that the show is going to take a little bit of a rest," Dec said before he added: "We still have a momentous 20th series to look forward to first so we will do our best to go out (for now) with a bang in 2024."
Fans quickly shared their upset at the news. @jackiehunter85 said:" Noooooooo this show is my sat night! Don’t rest it too long." @rle1990 wrote: "Gutted, I look forward to this on a Saturday night." @heidijadesargent added: "Nooooooooo!!! SNT is my favourite show! What will I do with my Saturdays nights after 2024."
But less than 24 hours later and Ant and Dec returned to social media to confirm that they're actually going to be back on TV... tonight. Despite I'm A Celebrity... South Africa coming to an end last week, a special 'behind the scenes' episode will air on Friday night on ITV at 9pm.
Seen during a hike while filming the first-ever spin-off of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here last year, Ant and Dec said: "We thought we’d already peaked here... but there's more! Catch the hour-long special of unseen moments from #ImACeleb South Africa on @itv tonight from 9pm."
The three-week-long series saw a bunch of previously seen campmates whisked off to the new setting of Kruger National Park, as opposed to the usual jungle location in Australia. But with no public vote, they will be competing against each other in a battle to be crowned winner of the 'All Star' series and granted 'legend' status.
After a number of memorable campmates came and went throughout the three-week run, which was pre-recorded in September. before it was left to singer-turned-presenter Myleene Klass and Diversity star Jordan Banjo to battle it out for the title with Myleene being the one to clinch it after her heroic efforts in a stomach-churning eating trial.
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