Scarlett Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern to have ‘expanded’ roles on Saturday Night Takeaway to support Declan Donnelly
SCARLETT Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern will have "expanded" roles during this week's Saturday Night Takeaway to help Declan Donnelly.
The 42-year-old presenter will be hosting the ITV show alone for the first time ever this weekend following Ant McPartlin's return to rehab after his drink-drive arrest.
While Scarlett, 27, and Stephen, 40, usually play smaller roles in the show, reports the pair will play a much bigger part this week in Ant's absence.
An ITV source told the outlet viewers can expect to see them "in the audience giving away places on the plane to Orlando, Florida" for the series finale next week - a role Ant usually fulfils.
The End of the Show Show will also be more of an "ensemble" piece, according to the insider, featuring Paloma Faith.
The outlet added there will be no undercover pranks or the popular 'I'm a Celebrity Get Out of Me Ear' segment, but the ITV source claimed neither were set to feature in this week's episode anyway, even if Ant had still been on-screen with Dec.
The opening titles featuring Ant and Dec will remain unchanged, and The Sun exclusively revealed how Ant would still appear on Saturday's show in the pre-recorded whodunit drama Saturday Knight Takeaway.
ITV have decided to risk a backlash from viewers in order to screen the final episodes of the scripted mini-series, which stars Joanna Lumley, , David Walliams and Emilia Fox.
A Takeaway insider explained: “There’s been some discussion about whether the whole of the series should be ditched because Ant features heavily.
“But after a lot of soul searching it was decided that the final two episodes should run because viewers have loved the series and want to find out the conclusion in the final two episodes.
“Obviously it means Ant will still be on the show in some form."
Meanwhile, ITV bosses remain locked in crisis talks with Dec and show producers about how to address his absence from the show on air.
Ant was arrested on suspicion of drink driving a week ago following a three-car crash in South West London.
He checked into rehab the next day — seven months after he left a facility where he was being treated for an addiction to prescription drugs.
Last weekend's episode of Saturday Night Takeaway was cancelled as a result but Dec will present the final two shows of the series without his telly partner.
The Sun Online has contacted ITV for comment.
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