We don't wish to alarm you, but Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway won't be on this week.
It's sad but true that Ant and Dec's variety show has been benched tonight (Saturday, March 19) because there's a little sporting competition organised by the Six Nations happening.
If you haven't heard, it's all coming down to the wire for the Six Nations rugby title, with two key matches airing live on ITV throughout the afternoon and evening on Saturday.
First, it's Ireland taking on Scotland at 4pm and then France battles the England squad at 7.15pm. Both matches are crucial because Ireland and France remain in the running to win the title for 2022.
England and Scotland are also still fighting out for lower placements, along with Wales, and these matches could have a huge impact on where they finish. (Unfortunately, Italy hasn't had as much luck in 2022.)
All of this to say that Ant and Dec have been given this Saturday night off. Luckily, they've already pre-warned viewers not to be shocked when there's no Saturday Night Takeaway for them on ITV if the match finishes early.
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"Remember there's no show this weekend as we pass Saturday night over to the rugby 🏉 But they're only borrowing it! We'll be keeping your Takeaway warm until it all kicks off again in studio next Saturday 26th March," the duo tweeted this week.
The duo made several references last week to a mid-series party to celebrate the break. Channel 5 will also be taking advantage by airing the special Ant & Dec's 30 Greatest Moments at 7.30pm to attract any fans not watching rugby.
We're sure Ant, Dec and their Saturday Night Takeaway producers are working on some huge surprises for their return to screens later in the month.
It has already been an eventful series of SNT so far, with highlights featuring Ant and Dec debuting drag alter-egos with RuPaul and the queens of Drag Race UK, a powerful Masked Singer UK crossover and a special guest appearance from Richard E Grant!
The return of Saturday Night Takeaway cannot come soon enough.
Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
