Ant and Dec plan HUGE change to Saturday Night Takeaway ahead of final series – and you can get involved
SATURDAY Night Takeaway are on the lookout for two new stars.
Not to replace Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, but to act as their mini-me’s.
The Little Ant & Dec segment made its debut in 2003, with child stars James Pallister and Dylan McKenna-Redshaw playing the miniature versions of the TV hosts.
The mini stars interviewed guests from Tony Blair to Katie Price, before the segment was scrapped in 2006 when the pair outgrew their ‘little’ roles.
Little Ant & Dec were rebooted in 2013 with two new faces – this time even younger to avoid any unwanted growth spurts.
Despite its second axing, it will make return again for the next series of the show, due to air in 2024, with two new stars.
Producers are looking for the “Geordie cheeky chappies between five and seven” to fill the spot.
The little “lads” will have to be “game for a laugh” in order to make the cut.
Applications for little ones that fit the bill are open until October 1 at ITV.com/beontv.
Saturday Night Takeaway will return to ITV1 and ITVX next year.
Hosts Ant and Dec revealed they would be stepping down from the show for the first time in 20 years following the next series of the show in 2024.
They told fans in March: “We love making Saturday Night Takeaway, but reaching the milestone of 20 series seemed like the perfect time to pause for a little while and catch our breath.
“The show takes up such a lot of our year. We just feel we need a little bit of a breather.
“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.
“Let’s get to work.”
A source added at the time: “Ant and Dec have been at the forefront of British TV for the past 25 years, and remain absolutely at the top of their game.
“They constantly want to innovate and produce amazing, fresh content that appeals to all demographics and every generation.
“Neither Ant or Dec would ever want Takeaway to look tired and have seen other shows, like The X Factor, became slightly stale and look dated.
“Much like when James Corden quit The Late, Late Show, they want to go out on a high, with the public still wanting more.
“And this is exactly what they’ve done. But it really is the end of an era – and there will be a gaping void in ITV’s Saturday night schedule come 2025.”