Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (referred to simply as Saturday Night Takeaway, Takeaway or SNT) is a British television variety show, presented by Ant & Dec, broadcast on ITV from 2002 to 2009, and again from 2013 to 2024. Each episode focuses on a variety of segments heavily influenced by previous Saturday night light entertainment shows, most notably Noel's House Party and Don't Forget Your Toothbrush, and with some paying homage to Saturday night TV of the past, such as Opportunity Knocks, and range from pranks, humorous entertainment, games, and musical acts.
The following lists each series, a brief summary of segments, including changes to what was used, appearances by guests, and the ratings given for each episode; from the fifth series onwards, the list includes the scores from the "Ant vs. Dec" segment, the seventh series onwards lists information on the guest announcers that appeared in each episode following the introduction of this format to the programme, and the tenth series onwards lists the closing performances used in each episode.
Series overview Series Episodes Start date End date Ave. viewers(millions)Sponsor 1 6 4.76Siemens 2 11 7.91Coca-Cola 3 6 7.86 4 6 7.97Imperial Leather 5 10 7.68KFC Special 6.22 6 6 7.22Greene King 7 6 6.25Heinz Big Eat 8 6 7.27Birds Eye 9 6 6.63 10 7 7.82Morrisons 11 7 7.61 12 7 7.00 13 7 7.78Suzuki 14 7 8.02 15 6 8.43 16 7 8.54Deliveroo 17 7 7.41 National Lottery 18 7 5.99 19 7 5.70Rightmove 20 7 4.92 Lotto
Episodes Series 1 (2002) The first series was aired during Summer 2002, running for six episodes from 8 June to 13 July, and averaging around 4.76 million viewers. It featured a notable number of segments, some of which were dropped after the series had finished broadcasting. The series featured early formats of two notable games that would be later revised for use in future series - "Grab the Ads" and "Win the Ads". Sponsorship: Siemens.
Ratings Episode Date Viewers(millions) ITV weekly ranking 1 8 June 2002 5.51 18 2 15 June 2002 4.97 23 3 22 June 2002 4.84 26 4 29 June 2002 4.62 21 5 6 July 2002 4.96 20 6 13 July 2002 3.64 30
Series 2 (2003) The second series aired during Winter - early Spring 2003, running for eleven episodes from 11 January to 22 March, and averaging around 7.91 million viewers. This series saw the introduction of four new segments - "Opportunity Knocks, Again", "What's Next?", "Little Ant and Dec", and "Ant & Dec Undercover" in which the original format rotated between audience members and celebrities - as well as the return of "Grab the Ads" from the previous series, but with a revised format. Sponsorship: Coca-Cola.
Ratings Episode Date Viewers(millions) ITV weekly ranking 1 11 January 2003 7.51 17 2 18 January 2003 7.45 18 3 25 January 2003 7.69 16 4 1 February 2003 7.48 17 5 8 February 2003 7.73 15 6 15 February 2003 7.69 14 7 22 February 2003 8.21 13 8 1 March 2003 8.75 14 9 8 March 2003 9.01 15 10 15 March 2003 7.56 14 11 22 March 2003 7.89 15
Ant & Dec Undercover Episode Date Celebrity Prank 1 11 January 2003 Phillip SchofieldFern Britton German Pop Idol winners 2 18 January 2003 Audience Member Andrea Fake Job Interview 3 25 January 2003 Simon Cowell Fake American Idol audition 4 1 February 2003 Audience Member Peter Jamaican Fortune Teller 5 8 February 2003 Lorraine Kelly Pensioners going out with younger women 6 15 February 2003 Audience Member Sam Jamaican Spa Treatment 7 22 February 2003 General Public Pensioners out and about 8 1 March 2003 Emmerdale cast Jamaican extras 9 8 March 2003 Caprice Bourret Fake preschool show (The Ploppies) 10 15 March 2003 Hayley Evetts Fake preschool show (The Ploppies) 11 22 March 2003 Various Best-of compilation
Series 3 (2004) The third series aired during Spring 2004, running for six episodes from 13 March to 17 April, and averaging around 7.86 million viewers. The series saw the introduction of a new segment entitled "Saturday Cash Takeaway", that was run for just this series only alongside the other segments from the previous series. Sponsorship: Coca-Cola.
Jim Didn't Fix It! Episode Date Audience Members Fix-it Dream 2 20 March 2004 20 random people 20 random childhood dreams (with an appearance from Jimmy Savile)
Little Ant & Dec Episode Date Interview 1 13 March 2004 Kevin Costner 2 20 March 2004 Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines 3 27 March 2004 Westlife 4 3 April 2004 Sarah Michelle Gellar 5 10 April 2004 Victoria Beckham 6 17 April 2004 Katie Price aka Jordan
Ant & Dec Undercover Episode Date Celebrity Prank 1 13 March 2004 Kerry Katona Takeaway Hospital 2 20 March 2004 Pete Waterman Train Enthusiast of the Year Award 3 27 March 2004 Bruno LangleySally Lindsay Japanese Coronation Street ripoff 4 3 April 2004 John Fashanu Fake episode of Celebrities Under Pressure 5 10 April 2004 Jonathan Wilkes Fake preschool show (The Ploppies) 6 17 April 2004 Blue Takeaway Hospital
What's Next? Episode Date Celebrity Challenge 1 13 March 2004 Matthew Kelly (via satellite)Brenda Ganda (in studio) Stars in Their Eyes Simulator 2 20 March 2004 Paul UsherSuranne Jones Bonanza Wild West Showdown 3 27 March 2004 Susie BlakeKeith DuffyBruce JonesDesi Valentine Germany Bottomslappers 5 10 April 2004 Magnus Magnusson Mastermind Battle of the Easter Eggheads 6 17 April 2004 Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog Performing rendition of "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" by The Blues Brothers
Ratings Episode Date Viewers(millions) ITV weekly ranking 1 13 March 2004 9.09 13 2 20 March 2004 7.08 18 3 27 March 2004 7.97 15 4 3 April 2004 7.80 14 5 10 April 2004 7.37 17 6 17 April 2004 7.86 15
Series 4 (2004) The fourth series aired during Autumn 2004, running for six episodes from 2 October to 6 November, and averaging around 7.97 million viewers. While "Jim Didn't Fix It" and "Home Run" were dropped prior to this series, many of the other segments returned, while a new segment was created, entitled "Saturday Night Pub Olympics", which was used for this series only. Sponsorship: Imperial Leather.
Ratings Episode Date Viewers(millions) ITV weekly ranking 1 2 October 2004 8.23 13 2 9 October 2004 8.01 16 3 16 October 2004 8.17 13 4 23 October 2004 8.60 13 5 30 October 2004 7.55 16 6 6 November 2004 7.27 16
Series 5 (2005) The fifth series was aired during late Winter - early Spring 2005, running for ten episodes from 12 February to 16 April, and averaging around 7.68 million viewers. This series is notable for the production team revamping the "What's Next" segment, and transforming it into a head-to-head contest between the presenters entitled "Ant vs. Dec", that was presented by Kirsty Gallacher. This series saw Dec involved in an accident during filming of a game being pre-recorded for an episode's "Ant vs. Dec", in which the presenter was injured while attempting a motorbike stunt jump. The accident left him with a broken right thumb and broken left elbow, leaving him to have his left arm in a sling for a few weeks afterwards. In its first run, the contest between the presenters ended with Dec winning 6–5. Sponsorship: KFC.
Ratings Episode Date Viewers(millions) ITV weekly ranking 1 12 February 2005 8.46 11 2 19 February 2005 7.83 14 3 26 February 2005 7.53 14 4 5 March 2005 7.46 17 5 12 March 2005 8.67 10 6 19 March 2005 8.49 14 7 26 March 2005 7.47 14 8 2 April 2005 6.23 18 9 9 April 2005 7.26 14 10 16 April 2005 7.37 14 Christmas special 24 December 2005 6.22 16
Ant vs Dec Show Date Challenge Winner Ant's score Dec's score 1 12 February 2005 Gladiators Ant 1 0 2 19 February 2005 The Tightrope Ant 2 3 26 February 2005 Dog Training Dec 1 4 5 March 2005 Escapology Dec 2 5 12 March 2005 Ring of Fire Draw 3 3 6 19 March 2005 Memory Test Dec 4 7 26 March 2005 Royal Wedding Song with G4 (guest presented by Sir Trevor McDonald) Dec 4 8 2 April 2005 Darts Ant 5 9 9 April 2005 Ventriloquism Dec 5 10 16 April 2005 Penalty shootout Dec 6 Christmas special 24 December 2005 Hogmanay challenge Ant (wins the special little cup) (lost)
Series 6 (2006) The sixth series aired during Autumn 2006, running for six episodes from 16 September to 21 October, and averaging around 7.22 million viewers. This series saw "Ant & Dec Undercover" being dropped from the show, while introducing two new segments - a second contest entitled "Beat the Boys", focusing on the presenters competing against a different pair of celebrities each episode; and a new cash prize game entitled "Jiggy Bank". This series' contest between the presenters ended on a draw of 3-3, leading to a tiebreaker game of mini-golf putt-off to be held in the final episode, to determine the winner. The game ended with Dec winning and becoming the winner of this series' contest, as a result. Sponsorship: Greene King. Series Announcer: Noddy Holder
Ratings Episode Date Viewers(millions) ITV weekly ranking 1 16 September 2006 7.58 7 2 23 September 2006 5.21 21 3 30 September 2006 7.37 11 4 7 October 2006 7.33 12 5 14 October 2006 7.64 11 6 21 October 2006 8.21 9
Ant vs. Dec – "The Rematch" Show Date Challenge Winner Ant's score Dec's score 1 16 September 2006 Abseiling Dec 0 1 2 23 September 2006 Sumo Wrestling Ant 1 3 30 September 2006 Lumberjack Dec 2 4 7 October 2006 Rowing Ant 2 5 14 October 2006 Cake Baking Dec 3 6 21 October 2006 Forming a Boyband Ant 3
Beat the Boys Show Date Couple Ant & Dec's Car & Time Challenger's Car & Time Winner 1 16 September 2006 Phillip Schofield & Fern Britton Stretched Limo (3:23) Caravan (3:25) Ant & Dec 3 30 September 2006 Trinny Woodall & Susannah Constantine Girly Jeep (3:16) Boy Racer (3:15) Trinny & Susannah 4 7 October 2006 Ben Shephard & Penny Smith Ice-Cream Van (4:01) Camp-A-Van (3:59) Ben & Penny 5 14 October 2006 Harry Hill & Al Murray Wedding Car (6:18) Police Car (3:28) Harry & Al 6 21 October 2006 Wendi Peters & Jennie McAlpine Hippy Car (3:21) London Taxi Cab (4:25) Ant & Dec
Series 7 (2007) The seventh series aired during Autumn 2007, running for six episodes from 8 September to 13 October, and averaging around 6.25 million viewers. It was the first series to see the introduction of a new element in the format of the show, in the form of a celebrity announcer, with each episode featuring its own celebrity invited to take on the role. This series also saw "Little Ant & Dec" being dropped from the show. This series' contest between the presenters ended with Dec winning by 5–1. Sponsorship: Heinz Big Eat.
Ratings Episode Date Viewers(millions) ITV weekly ranking 1 8 September 2007 6.59 10 2 15 September 2007 6.76 8 3 22 September 2007 7.16 8 4 29 September 2007 6.56 13 5 6 October 2007 4.84 18 6 13 October 2007 5.60 16
Ant vs. Dec – "This Time, It's Personal" Show Date Challenge Winner Ant's score Dec's score 1 8 September 2007 Speed Skating Dec 0 1 2 15 September 2007 Spelling Bee Dec 2 3 22 September 2007 60m Sprint Hurdles Dec 3 4 29 September 2007 Weather Forecasting Ant 1 5 6 October 2007 Holding Breath Underwater Dec 4 6 13 October 2007 Freddie Mercury Queen Tribute Act Dec 5
Beat the Boys Show Date Couple Ant & Dec's Car & Time Challenger's Car & Time Winner 1 8 September 2007 Tina O'Brien & Ryan Thomas Starsky & Hutch Stunt Car (3:52) Cagney & Lacey Police Cruiser (3:57) Ant & Dec 2 15 September 2007 Max Beesley & Jonathan Wilkes Safari Jeep (4:02) Ambulance (4:00) Max & Jonathan 3 22 September 2007 Alan Carr & Justin Lee Collins Old People's Car (4:26) Catering Van (4:57) Ant & Dec 4 29 September 2007 Fearne Cotton & Holly Willoughby Army Jeep (6:38) Beach Buggy (6:18) Fearne & Holly 5 6 October 2007 Eamonn Holmes & Ruth Langsford Beach Car (7:14) New York Taxi Cab (9:14) Ant & Dec
Celebrity Announcers 8 September: Simon Pegg 15 September: Daniel Radcliffe 22 September: Quentin Tarantino 29 September: Christian Slater 6 October: Harry Hill (You've Been Framed! and Harry Hill's TV Burp) 13 October: Katie Price & Peter Andre
Series 8 (2008)