Saturday Night Takeaway saw MILLIONS of viewers desert its latest series… as Ant and Dec QUIT

Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly shocked fans on Thursday when they announced they were quitting Saturday Night Takeaway.

Geordie’s presenting duo, both 47, confirmed the show will take a hiatus after its 20th series in 2024, saying they need to ‘catch their breath’.

And in the weeks before their announcement, their ITV comedy show saw ratings hit an all-time low as millions of viewers left the newly released 19th series.

Viewing figures for the entire series averaged 3.9 million, while the launch episode also reached an all-time low compared to the previous years.

The launch episode, which aired on 25 February, was the lowest since the variety show launched on ITV in 2002, with an average audience of just 4.9 million.

Two years ago, 7.3 million viewers tuned in to the series’ opening episode, meaning the show has lost a third of their audience.

Their viewership subsequently dropped to 5.7 million by 2022, with Saturday Night Takeaway seeing another steady decline in viewership.

Disappointing to the beloved show, the numbers fell by another 500,000 for the second episode of its 19th series, which came out on March 4 this year.

Despite high-profile celebrity talent, including David Tennant, Tom Grennan and Mimi Webb, appearing in the two episodes, it failed to attract the same number of viewers.

The trend continued later in the series when the fifth episode, which aired on March 25, averaged only 3.9 million viewers, peaking at 4.5 million.

Meanwhile, the following week saw a slight increase – but still fell short of the opening episode and the previous records – with an average of 4.4 million viewers.

The final episode, which aired on April 8, averaged just 4.2 million viewers watching the packed show, peaking at 4.9 million.

During Saturday Night Takeaway’s peak popularity, in March 2020, it attracted 11.1 million viewers.

Shock: And in the weeks before their announcement, their show’s ratings hit an all-time low as millions of viewers left the 19th series (Ant and Dec are pictured in 2006)

The combination of live, high energy and feel good fun has led to the format winning multiple BAFTA and National Television Awards since its launch in 2002.

Kevin Lygo, ITV Managing Director, Media and Entertainment, said: ‘When you think of Saturday night television, you think of Saturday Night Takeaway.

“Over 20 series, the show has become a cultural phenomenon, and while we eagerly await what Ant & Dec have in store for the 2024 series, we fully understand their desire to take a break, take stock and after thinking about what the next incarnation will be. of the show could look like.’

In a video posted to Twitter on Thursday night, Ant said, “Hi everyone, we have news for you. Next year, in 2024, it will be our 20th Saturday Night Takeaway series and we have some very exciting new items.”

ITV insiders were stunned at the loss, with some blaming ‘fatigue and a tired format’, the Daily Mail reported at the time.

It comes as Ant and Dec sensationally quit Saturday Night Takeaway ahead of its 20th series this week, shocking their fans across the country.

The pair will continue their exclusive working relationship with ITV, hosting hit shows including I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Britain’s Got Talent and Limitless Win, all of which air on ITV1 and ITVX.

Ant said, “We love making Saturday Night Takeaway, but hitting the 20-series milestone seemed like the perfect time to take a break and catch our breath.”

Dec added, “We’ve still got a memorable 20th series to look forward to, so we’ll do our best to go out with a bang (for now) in 2024!”

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, produced by Lifted Entertainment (part of ITV Studios) and Miter Studios, will return for its 20th series next year.

The series has spawned numerous iconic segments, including Win the Ads, Undercover, Get Out Of Me Ear, The End of Show Show, and the Happiest Minute of the Week.

They announced the big news from Florida’s Universal Orlando Resort tonight after hosting the series finale.

Losses: The launch episode, which aired on February 25, was the lowest since the variety show launched on ITV in 2002, with an average audience of just 4.9 million

Throwback: The feel good fun of the show has seen the format win multiple BAFTA and National Television Awards since its launch in 2002 (Ant and Dec are pictured in 2004)

Dec explained that they both “need a little rest” amid their other ongoing work commitments.

He added: ‘And we’ve also decided that our 20th series next year will be our last for now. The show takes up such a big chunk of our year, we just feel like we need to take a little breather and rest a little bit.”

Ant and Dec – who first rose to prominence on Byker Grove in the late 1980s – first fronted the show from 2002 to 2009 when the show went on hiatus, and since returning in 2013 they’ve been joined by a series over the years co-presenters including Scarlett Moffatt, Stephen Mulhern and Jordan Banjo.

In 2021, the show – which relies heavily on studio audience participation – went virtual to continue the interaction.