Ant McPartlin says he and Dec are pausing Saturday Night Takeaway to focus on family
22.02.2024 - 04:08
/ ok.co.uk
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway is set to return to TV screens this weekend for its final series. And while fans have been heartbroken at the news of the show's end, Ant McPartlin has shared that he's looking forward to spending more time with his family. In May 2023, Ant and Dec announced that they were taking a break from the popular prime-time TV show after the 20th series, which will air this year.
At the time, the TV duo shared that they wanted to "catch our breath" whilst putting the multi-BAFTA-award-winning show on "pause". Now Ant has sweetly revealed that with the show taking a hiatus, both he and Declan Donnelly will be able to spend more time with their families. Speaking to Fault Magazine, Ant explained: "On a more personal level, part of the reason we're pausing Takeaway is we need a break ourselves, and we need to spend some time with our family.
"We've both got children that we need to spend time with for a little bit. We need time to think and, and time to step back and look at the bigger picture and just see where we are now." Dec tied the knot with Ali Astall back in 2015, and the pair have since welcomed two children, Isla, five, and one-year-old Jack. Meanwhile, Ant became step-father to two daughters when he married his wife Anne-Marie in 2021.
Saturday Night Takeaway first launched in 2002, with the nation's favourite presenting duo fronting it.
The last time it took a break was in 2009, which lasted for four years, before returning in 2013. Announcing the show's break, 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
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