Inside Ant and Dec’s new Saturday Night Takeaway studio: Presenters offer a glimpse of ‘very different’ set as the series RETURNS with a virtual audience and pre-filmed sketches
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have given fans a glimpse at the ‘very different’ Saturday Night Takeaway studio ahead of the series long-awaited return.
The duo have admitted this series will be ‘very different’ to those past, as they prepare to host the beloved show with a virtual audience of 300 people due to the ongoing Covid pandemic.
Despite the new restrictions, Ant and Dec have promised the show will still be a star-studded affair, with the launch show seeing guests including Harry and Jamie Redknapp, It’s a Sin star Olly Alexander and Gary Barlow.
It’s back! Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have given fans a glimpse at the ‘very different’ Saturday Night Takeaway studio ahead of the series long-awaited return
Ant and Dec spoke about the changes to the Takeaway studio during an appearance on Friday’s This Morning.
The pair were in the midst of rehearsals for the show Television Centre in West London, and revealed they’ve spent six months pre-recording content that will feature in the new series.
Dec said: ‘The show’s going to quite different – we have no studio audience here which is such an important part of Takeaway.
Changes: The duo have admitted this series will be ‘very different’ to those past, as they prepare to host the beloved show with a virtual audience of 300 people
Transition: Ant and Dec spoke about the changes to the Takeaway studio during an appearance on Friday’s This Morning
Changes: Fans got a glimpse of the new studio which features a vast screen for the virtual audience, as has been used in other ITV shows such as The Voice and Britain’s Got Talent
‘We’ve got a virtual audience but it’ll be very different. We’ve been getting the show together in very different circumstances.
‘We’ve had lockdowns and restrictions in place. But we’ve managed in the last six to eight months get enough VT stuff to get in the show, enough hidden camera stuff.
‘We’ve got a series – it’ll be different but hopefully no less fun and entertaining.’
While it’s likely Ant and Dec will have to adhere to social distancing with their celebrity guests, the duo have formed a cohort, meaning they’re tested regularly and do not need to stand two metres apart.
Hard at work: The pair were in the midst of rehearsals for the show Television Centre in West London, and revealed they’ve spent six months pre-recording content
On screen soon: The new series of Takeaway will feature the new recurring skit Double Trouble, as well as the return of I’m A Celebrity Get Out Of Me Ear
Last year’s series of Saturday Night Takeaway was forced to air its last live episode without an audience due to impending lockdown, and ended with two highlights shows.
Joining the pair, former Big Brother star Davina McCall and Sir Mo Farah will also be pranked over the course of the new series.
Recurring skit Double Trouble will see a pair of Ant and Dec clones go rogue and will feature several stars, including Bear Grylls, Prue Leith, Rob Brydon, Alison Hammond and Jermaine Jenas.
Show regular Stephen Mulhern will put the hosts through their paces in the Ant vs Dec challenges, while singer Fleur East will front a brand-new segment.
On screen soon: ITV have also confirmed the 90-minute show will be filmed in front of a virtual studio audience who will be in with the chance to Win The Ads
ITV have also confirmed the 90-minute show will be filmed in front of a virtual studio audience who will be in with the chance to Win The Ads, with Gary taking part in a spectacular End of the Show Show.
Ant and Dec will once again wear prosthetic costumes to play pandas Bam and Boo for the new series, in which they will need the help of children to escape from London toy store Hamleys.
There will also be a new Saturday Night Takeaway show on the ITV Hub, consisting of seven 10-minute episodes which will feature new interviews with Ant and Dec and be jam packed with exclusive behind-the-scenes gossip.
Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway returns tonight at 7pm on ITV.
Back soon: Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway returns tonight at 7pm on ITV