Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway is airing it’s final season after the duo called temporary time on the series they have been presenting for 20 years – but fans were left utterly disappointed tonight.
The Geordie duo explained before the series began that they wanted to go bigger than ever, as they celebrated 20 years.
This has included getting a new "Little Ant and Dec" and bringing back some of the classic games they used to play – What’s Next? being one of them.
What’s Next? was played by McPartlin and Donnelly during the early stages of the series and sees them take out their ear piece, have an empty autocue and have to do as the guest says.
Cat Deeley joined the boys on stage and revealed that they would be acting out everything she read from her Dread-Time story.
After the set was prepared, Deeley took her seat and began reading which saw McPartlin dressed in a purple alien costume and Donnelly in a troll costume.
The Geordie duo's were dressed up as aliens and trolls
ITV
The duo were subjected to eating porridge covered in fermented egg sauce, pecked by toy birds and slimed in their “monster shower”.
Whilst the audience and Deeley were left in fits of laughter by their antics on stage, those watching at home were less than impressed.
Taking to their X accounts, one commented: “Is this the best they can come up with for prime time viewing #SaturdayNightTakeAway.”
“Goes from very bad to even beyond pathetic. ‘OH! We had no idea about what is to happen’ after the dress rehearsals days before the show…” another fumed.
Viewers of the show were left unimpressed with the show
ITV
A second watched added: “This the we have no ideas left bit isn’t it… Primetime TV on a Saturday folks.”
“Is this supposed to be funny?” another asked before a fifth replied: “Is tonight’s show aimed at kids or something? Jesus.”
One user complained: “What a waste of TV airtime, money & my time. Total garbage!” as another agreed: “Jesus Christ what on earth is this?” (sic)
Speaking about their reason to step back from the show, McPartlin told FAULT magazine: “I feel like it’s a nice time to turn the page, and it will give us time to reflect.
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Ant and Dec Saturday Night Takeaway was slammed
ITV
"You can’t think of a different version of Saturday Night Takeaway while Saturday Night Takeaway is on air. You need to be away from it."
Donnelly added: "I think what happened when we took a break last time [was] we started to miss it. We started coming up with lots of ideas and going, 'Oh, that would be amazing.'
"We want to give ourselves that same opportunity this time to miss the show and just see how we feel and where that takes us."