THE END IS NIGH
Ant and Dec reveal there ‘might not be another’ Saturday Night Takeaway after tomorrow’s show without an audience
ANT and Dec have revealed that there "might not be another" Saturday Night Takeaway after tomorrow evening's show without a live studio audience.
The Geordie duo appeared on This Morning earlier today, showing off the empty studio as rehearsals got underway.
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Despite the global coronavirus pandemic, the pair confessed that they were keen to air the programme as usual tomorrow because they aren't sure when they will be back.
Ant McPartlin told hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford: "We wanted to do the show to put a smile on people's faces, we might not be able to do another one.
"We don't know, we just want to get on air, have some fun, and hope that you'll all enjoy it too."
However, his co-star Declan Donnelly was quick to reassure fans that they weren't going to go off-air without a fight.
He shared: "For as long as we are allowed, and as long as we are able, we will try to bring you a show."
The pair also teased a top secret "plan" on how they are going to get around not having an audience for the first time in the programme's history - but ruled out the use of canned laughter or canned applause.
Dec added: "It will be strange, and different - the studio will be how it is now, this is how it is going to look tomorrow night on the show.
"We are still going to run down the stairs, these seats will all be empty but we've got loads of stuff in the show tomorrow night.
"We are just going to see how it goes and try and bring some smiles to some faces."
In addition to the usual sketches and surprises, viewers will get to see the cheeky stars prank Bradley Walsh for the second time - after infuriating him when they tricked him 15 years ago.
Ant giggled: "We got him 15 years ago and we said he was the angriest celeb when he found out it was us at the end.
"He stormed off and wouldn't talk to us, he took a lot of convincing to come back and chat.
"Since that day we thought we have got to get him again, it has been three years in the planning!"
He continued: "We got him on an episode of The Chase, it's an episode he will never forget.
"We giggled all the way through it, he gets so angry it is brilliant."
Last night, Ant and Dec took to social media to urge fans to send in their home videos to help with the End of the Show Show.
"#SaturdayNightTakeaway NEEDS YOU! We have no studio audience this week so we want YOU, the audience at home, to be the stars of the #EndOfTheShowShow," the pair shared on Twitter.
"Film (in landscape) yourself, your family, your pets, whatever, dancing along to @ollymurs ‘Dance With Me Tonight’ at home, for at least 1 min.....then SUBMIT it to us.
"And you could end up as part of a brilliant EOTSS! See you (and yourself!) on the telly!!"
Earlier this week, The Sun revealed that for the first time in the show's history viewers will be banned from coming to watch the show.
Ant and Dec held an emergency meeting with ITV bosses over the future of their hit primetime show, which involves a large studio audience and encourages participation throughout.
It is the first time the prime time show has gone ahead without an audience and telly insiders say the team are working to ensure the show is adapted accordingly and will remain live.
The Saturday Night Takeaway crew were originally forced to rehearse the upcoming show over the internet as they practice social distancing.
Ant and Dec shared a photo of their group video chat to social media, writing: "A quick hello from a very different #SaturdayNightTakeaway script meeting!
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"We’ll massively miss our studio audience but the show will go on this weekend. Stay safe everyone, we’ll see you on the telly this Saturday."
In today's interview, various members of crew were seen dotted around the background, with the hosts revealing that they had just a skeleton team in of volunteers who felt comfortable to work amid the ongoing pandemic.
Coronavirus has become an increasing global concern, with thousands of people testing positive for the life-threatening illness.
As of today, 3,269 Brits had tested positive for the dangerous virus, with 184 patients in the UK losing their lives.
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