Ant and Dec confirm start date for Britain's Got Talent
It's coming very soon!
With a lot of our favourite TV shows currently being postponed or suspended due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, fans will be over the moon to learn that the 14th series of Britain's Got Talent returns to our TV screens very soon!
Although ITV confirmed last week that the live finals have been postponed to later in the year, Ant and Dec took to social media last night (Wednesday 1st April) to confirm the show will return on Saturday 11th April.
Sharing a short clip from the show, the official BGT Twitter routine wrote, 'It's official! Britain's Got Talent is BACK - Easter Saturday at 8pm on @ITV and @WeAreSTV🙌 You don't wanna miss it! 🤩'. (sic)
Excited fans of the show were quick to comment on the post, one user wrote, 'Cannot wait for this to start 😊😊', with another adding, 'Yay !! We definitely need some light hearted TV at the moment'. {sic)
A third then added, 'Ohh boy I’m so excited I’ve been waiting for this show for a long time I’ve been counting down the days since you guys were filming it I can’t wait for it plus to see the lovely judges and Ant and Dec on tv again'. (sic)
Check out all of these Ant and Dec facts:
1. Ant and Dec become friends through football
Believe it or not the pair didn't get along at first but it was their joint love for football and in particular their local team Newcastle United that bonded the pair together.
According to reports, Ant invited Dec along to Newcastle's Boxing Day match in 1990 and the rest is history.
2. They were neighbours for a number of years
Not only do they work together but Ant and Dec used to live just three doors away from each other in West London! However, after Ant's split from his ex-wife Lisa Armstrong, Ant bought a new £5 million home in South West London.
Despite this, Ant and Dec have holiday homes next door to each other in sunny Portugal.
3. They bet who would be the first to get married
When they were just 15, Ant and Dec bet £50 who would be the first to get married. Ant was forced to pay Dec the money when he tied the knot in 2006 to Lisa Armstrong.
Dec married Ali Astall in August 2015.
After his divorce from Lisa, Ant re-married in August 2021 when he tied the knot with his girlfriend Anne-Marie Corbett.
4. They have life insurance against each other
In the awful event that one of them dies, the other will receive a pay out as they both have life insurance against each other.
5. Ant and Dec bought the rights to Byker Grove
It was the show which kick-started their careers but Ant and Dec reportedly bought the rights to Byker Grove when the production company went bust. In 2023, the boys confirmed they are rebooting Byker Grove, acting as producers.
6. Ant and Dec have been sued before
The boys were sued by an American comedian (who also had the name Ant) for using his name during their time in America. Unsurprisingly the allegations of fraud were dismissed!
7. A huge amount of people mix Ant and Dec up
After a poll found that 70% of viewers were unable to tell the boys apart, Dec admitted standing in the same positions is a useful way to help out the public.
The pair now position themselves so that Ant is on the viewer's left, and Dec on the right.
8. Ant and Dec are music stars
Before they became the kings of presenting, Ant and Dec (AKA PJ and Duncan) enjoyed an extensive music career. The pair released sixteen singles and three album including their biggest hit to date 'Let's Get Ready To Rhumble'.
9. Ant and Dec hold a Guinness World Record
In 2019 the boys were rewarded with a Guinness World Record for the most National Television Awards for Best Presenter won consecutively.
In October 2022, Ant and Dec won Best Presenter at the NTAs for the 21st consecutive year, and they kept up tradition in 2023, winning the award again!
10. Ant and Dec both have an OBE
In 2017, both Ant and Dec received an OBE from Prince Charles for their services to broadcasting and entertainment. The boys collected their accolades at Buckingham Palace.
11. Ant and Dec have hosted The BRIT Awards
Ant and Dec first hosted The BRIT Awards way back in 2001, before making a return to the stage in both 2015 and 2016.
12. Ant and Dec are worth millions
Due to their phenomenal careers, it's reported that Ant and Dec's current net worth is estimated to be around £62 million each.
Lend us a tenner lads!
13. Ant and Dec both have phobias
Believe it or not, despite Ant and Dec hosting I'm A Celebrity in the Australian Jungle, both of them have phobias! Ant is scared of spiders and Dec is terrified of birds!
14. Ant and Dec have their name trademarked
Since 2003, the name 'Ant and Dec' has been trademarked in the UK in the category of 'Entertainment services'.
15. Ant and Dec are RELATED!
When taking part in their 2019 documentary Ant and Dec's DNA Journey, the boys discovered the are actually distant cousins!
The popular pair found out they share a S660 DNA marker, meaning they are related in an incredibly distant way.
16. Ant and Dec are REBOOTING Byker Grove
In July 2023, Ant and Dec (or should we say PJ and Duncan) announced they were rebooting series Byker Grove, which originally aired between 1989-2006! The pair confirmed they would be Executive Producers on the show.
17. Ant and Dec are both proud dads
Dec is a proud dad to his two children, daughter Isla Elizabeth Anne Donnelly and son Jack Anthony Alphonsus. Meanwhile, in May 2024, Ant become a father for the first time when his wife Anne-Marie gave birth to a baby boy called Wilder Patrick McPartlin.
Although the auditions are taking place, it was announced last week that the live shows scheduled for May have been postponed until later in the year.
An ITV spokesperson said, "The Britain's Got Talent audition shows will broadcast on ITV in the next few weeks.
"We have been working with the brilliant production teams at Thames and Syco to find a way of making the live finals work, which were due to be broadcast at the end of May. However, in light of the latest government health guidelines and in line with our priority of safeguarding the well-being of everyone involved in our programmes, production of the live shows cannot go ahead as planned. The live finals will therefore be broadcast later in the year."
Britain's Got Talent will return to ITV on Saturday 11th April.