Ant and Dec sign three-year ITV deal Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have signed a new three-year contract with ITV, which will extend their exclusive relationship with the broadcaster to 15 years. The deal comes in the same week the BBC announced that the popular entertainers will appear together on Radio 4s Desert Island Discs on 29 December – the first time in more than 25 years the show has featured two guests. It is also a week after ITV signed a new three-year golden handcuffs contract with Simon Cowell. Ant and Dec present three of ITVs biggest shows, including Im a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!, which returned at the weekend with its biggest ever launch show ratings of 12 million. The pair also front Britains Got Talent, which is made by Cowell, and Saturday Night Takeaway, which they will take on the road next year in their first live tour since performing as pop act PJ and Duncan. Britains Got Talent was renewed for another three years as part of last weeks deal with Cowell. After becoming child stars on BBC kids drama Byker Grove, the pair joined ITV in 1998, presenting Saturday morning shows SM:tv Live with Cat Deeley and CD:UK, and signed their first exclusive contract with the broadcaster at the end of 2000. After a brief stint at the BBC, presenting BBC1 gameshow Friends Like These, they have been mainstays of ITVs Saturday night schedule ever since, beginning with Simon Fullers Pop Idol in 2001. ITV director of television Peter Fincham said: Ant and Dec are consummate entertainers, their talent is such that they make it look effortless, and their ability to connect with our audience is unrivalled. Our creative relationship with them is a strong one, and Im delighted we are extending it. The pair are also making an ITV sitcom pilot, This is Us, loosely based on the pairs real lives and featuring a string of guest star cameos. Their last stab at comedy was with a one-off remake of Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, 11 years ago. Saturday Night Takeaway, which returned this year with its biggest audience in a decade, began in 2002. But not everything they have done for the channel has proved so enduring, including gameshow Poker Face and Simon Cowells £1m challenge, Red or Black? The pair, who are both 38, said in a joint statement: We are thrilled to be extending our relationship with ITV for a further three years. After 15 years at the network, we are still excited about continuing to make great shows for a great channel.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 12:20:33 +0000
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