Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway at centre of environmental storm while filming in US as ITV and BA slammed

ANT and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was at the centre of an environmental row last night after it flew an empty passenger jet across the Atlantic twice.

Show sponsor British ­Airways and ITV — who both boast about their green ­credentials — were branded “hypocrites” over the Place on the Plane contest own goal.

A planeload of prize winners were flown to Orlando, Florida, last Monday from London’s Heathrow for the end of series finale, which was aired last night.

But the aircraft came back to the UK empty the next day — and will fly out unoccupied again today to pick them all up at the end of their week’s trip.

The Airbus A350 will have spewed out 700,000kgs of CO2, burning 264,000 litres of fuel on the four flights.

It travelled nearly 9,000 miles empty of passengers.

A source at the centre of the row said: “This is a PR disaster.

"While the planet is heating up, it’s incredible anyone would allow a huge plane to be flown empty across the Atlantic.

"It’s environmentally irresponsible.”

ITV says it wants zero waste by 2030 and net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

It seeks a 100 per cent sustainable supply chain by 2030, training all staff in “climate crisis”.

The station says Saturday Night Takeaway follows the industry’s “carbon calculation process” to lower environmental impact.

BA says it has been offsetting carbon emissions on all flights in the UK since 2020, claiming all its domestic flights are now carbon neutral.

The airline plans to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

But green campaigner Angela Terry said: “In a climate crisis, it’s shocking the show can’t offer amazing experiences to prize winners that don’t involve two empty trans-Atlantic flights.”

British Airways Holidays said: "We’re pleased to have partnered with ITV and we purchased sustainable aviation fuel to mitigate the emissions associated with the charter flights operated as part of this trip.

"We returned the aircraft to London and subsequently back to Orlando to continue flights for our customers over the busy Easter period and in addition, we offered cargo space on these flights."

ITV said it “aims to achieve the highest standards of sustainability”.