Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have issued an apology and pulled a clip from social media after viewers slammed the opening shot as deeply insensitive.
The video was shared on X to advertise the upcoming podcast Hanging Out With Ant and Dec.
In the first shot of the clip, a pair of feet could be seen dangling above the ground.
It then reveals Ant and Dec hanging from a washing line, held up by clothes pegs.
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The clip was shared with their 5.9 million followers but had vanished from all official channels overnight following the fierce online reaction.
Critics quickly branded the imagery "triggering" and accused the beloved presenters of evoking suicide.
The Geordie duo swiftly responded to the backlash with a statement confirming they had removed the promotional material.
"We did not mean to cause any offence with this promo video and we are sorry if it has upset anyone,” they said.
The video was promoting Ant and Dec's upcoming podcast
|X: ANT AND DEC
“We have taken on board the comments and have deleted the video," the TV stars added.
Mental health advocate and former X Factor contestant Katie Waissel was among the most vocal critics, publicly condemning the promotional material on social media.
"I'm going to be blunt because this 'creative direction' is genuinely sickening and deeply disappointing,” the 39-year-old wrote.
"This opening visual of feet suspended above the ground is not a harmless 'play on words', it immediately reads as someone hanging, and the suicide imagery is impossible to ignore."
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'We did not mean to cause any offence with this promo video and we are sorry if it has upset anyone,' the pair said
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She described the clip as "entirely foreseeable harm" and insisted the presenting duo had "a clear duty to act responsibly" given their massive platform.
"It's triggering, insensitive, and frankly reckless to push out as 'entertainment' when so many families have been devastated by suicide and self-harm," Ms Waissel added.
Ordinary viewers were equally appalled by the promotional material, with many taking to X to express their dismay.
One follower wrote: "Errm you guys are great, but this video is horrendous. Come on, surely one person during editing could see how triggering the start would be to some people. Remove it."
Another commented: "I'd hate for someone in distress to see this.
“Guys I know it isn't intentional, but maybe take this down and re-edit the promotional materials,” they stressed.
Several questioned how the clip ever got approved, with one asking: "How'd they let this one slip through? They're normally so polished and PR perfect."
Hanging Out With Ant and Dec will see the pair chatting about their lives and taking questions from listeners, is still set to launch on January 22.
Anyone who is in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide can call the Samaritans anonymously for free from a UK phone on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.
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