Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly are national treasures and two of the most recognisable faces on TV - but they are complete unknowns over in America. The Geordie duo, who rose to fame playing PJ and Duncan on hit series Byker Grove, have made multiples attempts to crack the US over the years.
But the 46-year-olds have struggled to gain favour with American audiences and had one of their shows cancelled after just six episodes. Anthony and Declan, who are currently having great success hosting I'm A Celebrity in Australia, said they didn't believe they got enough backing from the American network ABC when they first worked across the pond.
Having started on children's TV and then working in the music industry, the pair hit the big time while working of Britain's Got Talent, I'm A Celebrity and Saturday Night Takeaway.
Having conquered the UK, the Geordie due decided to have over to the US to film new American gameshow Wanna Bet? in November 2007.
It was loosely adapted from a German show and described as a hybrid of 'Super Human Tricks' and the celebrity panel format of 'What's My Line'.
In one episode, a man claimed he could solve a Rubik's Cube while entirely underwater.
"We've never hosted these over here. We always wanted to give it a go," Ant told The LA Times in July 2008.
"But we kind of had a rule where we said we're not just going to do something in the States for the sake of it. We would host a show only if we would host the same show back home."
Sadly for them, the American viewers were not very keen and Wanna Bet? was only picked up for six episodes and was axed after poor ratings.
They returned home to the UK to carry on with their ITV shows, but give years later ther revealed plans to have a second attempt at breaking into the US.
Speaking to the Radio Times about working in the US, Ant blamed ABC for not giving them the required support.
"We probably will try our luck in America again. It never really worked because the network didn't get behind us; it would need to be the right show," said Ant in 2013.
"I think we've got one big push left in us and we'd have to make sure it's worth it.
"If it happens, it happens, but because everything is going so well over here, we're not dying to break America."
It was a very different proposal, as the boys wanted to take over an idea that had already worked in the UK - Saturday Night Takeaway.
"There has been some interest from the States," Dec told The Mirror in February 2014. "We have had a couple of meetings over there about it. It could be called Saturday Night Take-Out!"
A source said: "The boys are still the biggest names on TV here alongside Simon Cowell but they are very ambitious so they would love to go to America and have a hit."
They hoped to follow in the footsteps of former Saturday morning co-star Cat Deeley, who carved out a very successful career across the pond.
But the concept of taking a Saturday night show to the States did seem flawed, as it isn't a traditionally big TV night over there.
At the time, even Simon Cowell had stopped his US version of the X Factor and admitted it was a bad time.
"I don't know why any show would want to be in America right now – anyone – because it's a too tough market," he stated.
The Americans did end up taking the show on - but they decided they didn't want Ant and Dec to front it.
It was retitled Best Time Ever and was hosted by How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris and featured Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger as co-host.
But it only lasted for one season from September to November 2015 before being cancelled forever.
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