New series of 'Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway' is cancelled
Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway won’t appear on screens in 2019, it’s been confirmed.
The prime-time show will ‘take a break’ for this year, following Ant McPartlin’s extended sabbatical from TV work after his drink driving conviction.
Ant said he’d take a year off work to deal with issues around alcohol and drug use, but returned to his presenting role on the new series of Britain’s Got Talent last week, after 10 months off.
However, according to ITV, the pair do not wish to ‘compromise the quality of the show’, and so will not make Saturday Night Takeaway this year.
A spokesperson for ITV told The Daily Mirror: “They will instead bring the show back in 2020, bigger and better than ever.”
The show, which first aired in 2002, would normally begin filming in February.
Nonetheless, an emotional Ant and Dec scooped their 18th consecutive National Television Award last night for Best TV Presenter last night, despite Ant’s absence from screens.
Accepting the award from the set of Britain’s Got Talent, Dec called the achievement ‘a genuine shock, especially this year’.
“The one reason we won the award this year is because of this guy,” he added, hugging his long-time presenting partner.
“His hard work, dedication, wit, funniness, and being the best mate there is out there. I love you, man. Well done.”
Not all were so happy about the win, however.
Speaking ahead of the awards yesterday, Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan said, sarcastically: “Ant has put a really big shift in this last year. He deserves it.
“Or just Dec and split them up. That would be funny. Everyone would be like ‘we’re going to vote for the one that did all the work’.
“How did you get a nom. I’m sorry but how did that happen. Dec, sure he’s put a shift in. Us, hundreds of days at the coal face.
“Imagine if Ant McPartlin actually wins tonight and we don’t, walking the dog for a year, television personality of the year.
“Me, coal face every morning hours on end, week after week, nothing. Imagine if you think it’s a reasonable way to conduct the award seasons business, seriously.
“If so next year I will take the day off every day and walk my dog. I don’t even have a dog. I intend to do that if I can find a dog.”
Last night, Good Morning Britain was beaten to the NTA for Best Daytime show by This Morning.
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