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Ant and Dec taking break from Saturday Night Takeaway 'to catch their breath'

Getty Images Ant and DecGetty Images

Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will take a break from Saturday Night Takeaway after the 2024 series, ITV has said.

Reaching the "milestone" of 20 series seemed like the "perfect time to pause for a little while and catch our breath," the presenting duo said.

The series previously took a pause in 2009 - returning four years later.

ITV's Kevin Lygo said the broadcaster understood why the duo have "a desire to take a pause".

"When you think of Saturday night television you think of Saturday Night Takeaway," ITV's director of television said.

The most recent series of that show launched in February, with ITV1's biggest overnight audience of the year, attracting 6.4 million viewers.

Since its launch in 2002 it has received multiple Bafta and National Television Awards (NTA), including presenting accolades for Ant and Dec.

Getty Images McPartlin and Donnelly in 2001Getty Images
They won their first TV presenting prize at the National Television Awards in 2001 alongside boy band Blue

The pair will continue their exclusive working relationship with ITV, as hosts of popular shows including I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, Britain's Got Talent and Limitless Win.

"We love making Saturday Night Takeaway, but reaching the milestone of 20 series seemed like the perfect time to pause for a little while and catch our breath," Ant said.

Dec added: "We still have a momentous 20th series to look forward to first so we will do our best to go out (for now) with a bang in 2024."