Saturday Night Takeaway’s original Little Ant and Dec look unrecognisable over two decades on as the final series returns with new set of mini-mes

The original Little Ant and Dec are all grown up when Saturday Night Takeaway returns for the final series on Saturday with a new set of mini-mes.

At the end of last year, an audition call was put out by ITV bosses looking for ‘confident, cheeky talkative boys with a Geordie accent aged between 5 and 7, who think they could be the next Little Ant and Dec’.

James Pallister and Dylan McKenna-Redshaw were the first to play Little Ant and Dec in 2003.

The cheeky duo interviewed the likes of Katie Price, David and Victoria Beckham, Tony Blair and Will Smith.

The boys were last on the show in 2006 after growing out of the roles and were not replaced until series 10 in 2013.

James Pallister (left) and Dylan McKenna-Redshaw were the first to play Little Ant and Dec in 2003

They were replaced by Neil Overend, now 17, and Haydn Reid, now 16, and appeared on the show to welcome them.

They have since retreated from the public eye. James was last reported working for the RAC as a police officer, a job he said he ‘absolutely loved’ in 2021

And now James covers Sunderland and Durham as a police officer for the RAC, which he has worked for since 2015.

He lives in Chester-le-Street in County Durham, with his fiancée Nicole and their two sons, aged one and three.

Speaking about his new career, James previously said The sun: ‘I absolutely love my job. There’s nothing better than being out there helping people who are down on their luck.

“I really pride myself on being able to fix most of the cars I go to.”

Earlier this year, James and Dylan met with Ant and Dec, who were amazed at how much they have changed.

Speaking about the reunion, Dylan admitted to the publication: “They were shocked when they saw us, it’s been a few years since we caught up and we’re a lot bigger!”

James added: “Times have changed. I don’t think I look like Little Ant now, but I really enjoyed the experience and it’s something I’ll never forget.’

The boys last appeared on the show in 2006 and were replaced in 2013 by Neil Overend, 12, and Haydn Reid, 11, who both appeared on the show to welcome them

James and Dylan backstage with Neil and Haydn, while James and Neil thumb their noses

In 2013, Dylan himself shared a video enjoying a beer with the real Ant and Dec on his Twitter account, reallittledec

Saturday Night Takeaway’s original Little Ant James Pallister, 28, is now an RAC police officer for Sunderland and Durham

As for Little Dec, Dylan has set up his own nutrition company that helps people with weight loss, muscle growth and sports performance.

In 2013, Dylan shared photos of himself enjoying a beer with the real Ant and Dec, and hanging out backstage with James and their replacements.

He said: ‘It’s always good to see Ant and Dec again. They were shocked when they saw us, it’s been a few years since we caught up and we’re much bigger!

‘It was a really good experience. James and I joked with Ant and Dec. They were great teachers! Looking back, I think we could have been more mischievous and bolder than they would have gotten away with.”

In 2018, Neil and Haydn left the roles of Little Ant and Dec after five years to focus on their studies.

An ITV source told MailOnline at the time that the pair, from Durham, had ‘outgrown their roles’ and would now focus on their exams.

As for Saturday Night Takeaway, the show is returning to our screens but will be the final series indefinitely while Ant and Dec catch their breath.

“The show takes up such a big part of our year that we just feel like we need a breather and for the show to take a break,” they said in a video update shared with fans last year shared.

“We love making Saturday Night Takeaway, but reaching the 20 series milestone seemed like the perfect time to take a break and catch our breath,” she added.

Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway begins its 20th series on ITV1 at 7pm on Saturday 24 February.