Ant and Dec are keen for an invite to Harry and Meghan’s wedding
While they wait for their invites to the Royal Wedding reception, Ant and Dec are back where they belong – on Saturday-night TV
Britain’s favourite TV hosts are returning to our screens with Saturday Night Takeaway just weeks after picking up their 17th consecutive trophy for Best Presenter at the National TV Awards.
“We can’t quite believe that’s still happening after all these years,” says Dec, 43.
“It’s amazing. Every year it feels like the first time: your heart’s beating, your hands are sweaty, the other nominees get a bigger cheer than you, and you think: ‘This is the year we’re not going to get it.’ Then they open the envelope and say your name and it’s the best feeling. We’ll never, ever take it for granted.”
Their astonishing winning streak hasn’t gone unnoticed by their rivals.
“[NTAs host] Dermot O’Leary always says something about it, in a jokey way. We’ve beaten him a few times so he always mentions it,” says Ant, 42.
“He’s won enough himself!” adds Dec. “He’s okay…”
This is the 15th series of Saturday Night Takeaway, which continues to do what so many other shows struggle to do: attract a large, loyal audience on a Saturday evening.
It also pulls in big names to take part in the fun and games – this year Kylie Minogue, Rita Ora and George Ezra will perform, while Joanna Lumley, Emilia Fox, Alan Shearer and William Roache (Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow) are all back for the weekly whodunnit mystery that began with Who Shot Simon Cowell? in 2016 and continued with The Missing Crown Jewels last year.
“We’re sticking with the theme of us working for Joanna Lumley. Members of The Honoured are being kidnapped so we have to find out who’s doing it and why. That was enormous fun to shoot,” says Dec.
“David Walliams twisted our arms, so he’s making an appearance. He’s good fun in it. He always wants to be in everything so we let him this time!”
“There are new names doing cameos,” adds Ant. “But they’re the bad guys so we can’t tell you who they are…”
Ant and Dec’s big break came playing schoolboys PJ and Duncan in teen drama Byker Grove in the early nineties, before turning their hand to music and then becoming the nation’s best-loved TV presenters.
They’ve continued to act, however – playing themselves in Love Actually in 2003 and starring in Alien Autopsy in 2006 – and hamming it up in their sketches has made them consider a return to acting.
“We love it,” says Ant. “That’s where we started. It’s a slightly different discipline and it reminds us of being back on Byker Grove.”
“Last year we took the best of Who Shot Simon Cowell? and The Missing Crown Jewels and created a one-off programme which was on ITV over Christmas, and that went down really well,” says Dec.
“So we’ll do the same with this one and then we might look at spreading it out and doing a few brand-new specials.”
In-between their regular presenting duties on their three huge shows, Saturday Night Takeaway, Britain’s Got Talent – which returns straight after this seven-week run of Takeaway – and I’m A Celebrity…, the duo have found time to become right royal correspondents for ITV, filming the documentary When Ant And Dec Met The Prince: 40 Years Of The Prince’s Trust and hosting The Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebration.
They have met both Princes William and Harry many times, yet there’s been no invitation to attend the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May.
“We’ve interviewed Prince Harry a few times but it’s not like we’re big mates, so we wouldn’t expect to be invited,” says Ant.
“Maybe we’ll get to go to the night-time do!” laughs Dec.
“Otherwise we’ll have to watch it on the telly like everyone else. The FA Cup final then the Royal Wedding – what a top day that’s going to be!”
Ant and Dec’s, Saturday Night Takeaway, Saturday, 7pm, ITV
Don't know what to watch tonight? Get your daily guide to What's On TV from The Sun Online