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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Louise Lavigueur

Ant and Dec reveal worst ever interview with moody A-Lister who refused to take shades off

Ant and Dec have proved to be the ultimate prime time TV hosts with success in Saturday Night's Takeaway, Britain's Got Talent and I'm A Celeb.

But before they broke into the coveted evening slots, they earned their stripes fronting their own children's TV show SM:TV Live.

The duo were joined by Cat Deeley and together got up to mayhem with a burst of high energy challenges and comedy skits.

Although to pull of the programme they were tasked with bringing in big names to the show which some celebs weren't prepped for.

The lads admit that one guest — Christina Aguilera — stood out as a tricky guest and wasn't onboard with the fun filled format with the pair often getting their famous guests to embrace the chaos and join in the fun.

Ant and Dec in 1998 presenting SM:TV which attracted 2.5 million viewers (Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock)

Ant told Huff Post recalling: “She (Aguilera) sat there in her shades, and wouldn’t take them off. It was a pre-recorded interview, because she didn’t want to do it live.

“Everything pointed towards it being a bad interview. And it turned out to be a bad interview.”

Without sharing anymore on the Dirty singer the pair also admitted a huge turning point in attracting big names in the 90s was getting a fellow Geordie to come on the show.

Ant and Dec attracted big names to the show after an interview with Sting gave them credibility (Ken McKay/REX/Shutterstock)

Recalling their first big interview with Sting, Ant said: "I think he agreed to do it because we were Geordies.

“And as soon as we got him, other people started saying, ‘oh if Sting’s been in it, then I’ll do it’. And in the end, everybody who was anybody was on the show.”

Dec agreed and admitted to being in awe when Beetle's legend Paul McCartney joined them adding it was a 'proper pinch me moment'.

Cat has fond memories of her time on the show (ITV)

Viewers also felt the format was a winner attracting audiences of 2.5 million and over five years between 1998 and 2003 the show ran for over 270 episodes.

The trio reunited 24 years after the show aired with Birmingham-born Cat Deeley, gushing on her Instagram that the show “will bond them forever.”

The shows format featured regular skits including a Friends parody Chums, a footy-inspired shoot out Eat My Goal and phone-in competitions including Wonkey Donkey - which required contestants to answer two words that rhymed together to match the object they showed.

Ant and Dec are back in their prime time slot for a new series of Saturday Night Takeaway on Saturday 25 February on ITV.

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