Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway returns this weekend to brighten up our lockdown weekends with their usual mix of stunts, silliness and hilarious pranks.
Over the years a host of unsuspecting members of the public and famous faces have found themselves the unwilling victim of the Geordie duo’s high jinks.
While most of the surprises and undercover gags lead to side-splitting reactions, for some being caught off guard can be an incredibly unwelcome experience.
Hosts Ant and Dec have admitted that while nobody has ever refused for footage to be aired, their antics have caused a few tantrums.
(Image: ITV)
The likes of Gordan Ramsay, Simon Cowell and Holly Willoughby have all been duped for laughs on the prime-time show, though not all the stars have joined in the joke.
“We have had a couple who have been quite grumpy about it,” Ant admitted last year. “It takes a while for them to see the funny side.”
“One or two people have had to have a little walk around the block,” Dec added.
“Bradley Walsh had to be driven round the block,” quipped Ant. “There’s different levels of anger. Gordon Ramsay was quite angry. He kind of got it, but he’s just an angry man. He’s just quite terrifying when he’s staring right at you.”
One stunt involving James Corden and a clueless security guard ended in some very awkward scenes in 2016.
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The Geordie stars travelled all the way to America to prank the Gavin and Stacey star as he kicked off his US chat show career.
An actor was hired to pose as a security guard to make sure The Late Late Show host Corden was late for work.
James’ car rolled up to the entrance of the car park and Ant and Dec tell the actor to ask whether he has a pass.
“My name’s James Corden, I do a TV show. It’s called The Late Late Show with James Corden,” the presenter replies.
“The what show?” asks the security guard.
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“The Late Late Show with James Corden,” he repeats.
“I’m sorry, did you say you were late for the show?”
“My show,” James slowly responds, “is called The Late Late Show with me James Corden. I’m the host of the show.”
The security guard asks again: “And you’re late for a show?”
Appearing irritated, James responds: “No my show is called The Late Late Show.”
Ant and Dec tell the security guard to ask for his name again.
“James Corden!” shouts the star in response.
When the guard asks again what show he is late for, an exasperated James cries out: “Oh my god! I’m not late for a show! My show’s called The Late Late Show and it’s hosted by me! If you walk 300yrds round there my face is on the building!”
The exchange ends in James giving up and entering the parking lot via another entrance.
However, that wasn’t the end of his nightmare as Ant and Dec had got ‘Jeff the delivery driver’ to park in James’ spot.
(Image: ITV)
When Jeff asked what the issue was, James replied: “You’re in my space mate. You’re in my spot!”
Eventually the driver says he recognises James and is a fan of his TV work.
But James appears unimpressed, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his hand.
The star was eventually put out of his misery when Ant and Dec eventually appeared from behind the scenes, with James lobbing a cue card at them.
During another infamous prank, the pair dressed up as handymen and flew once again to Los Angeles this time to wreak havoc on an unsuspecting Gordon Ramsay.
But when the famously fiery chef started to loose his cool in epic style, Ant and Dec said they feared he was going to punch them.
In the name of entertainment they set about irritating Ramsay with a series of blunders that ended with Dec locking himself his dressing room while Ant used an axe to free him as the Hells Kitchen star looked ready to explode with rage.
“He was so angry – I thought he was going to punch us,” admitted Dec on The Saturday Night Show.
(Image: ITV)
(Image: ITV)
The pair said they still get random message from Ramsay saying ‘I haven’t forgotten.’
“It does put the chills down you when you get a message off Ramsay,” Dec explained.
Last year, Ant admitted that Bradley Walsh had to be ‘driven round the block’ to cool down after losing his temper with them when their prank was exposed.
It was the second time the Geordie duo had targeted The Chase host.
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Back in 2005 their attempt at fooling Bradley did not go well with him storming off and vowing they would never get him again.
However, 15 years later the pair managed the feat as they used earpieces to communicate with Chaser Jenny Ryan and actors posing as contestants on The Chase.
As things began to unravel, Bradley got increasingly annoyed. “What the f*** is going on with this show?” he demanded to know, after spotting a spelling mistake on a question, changing “father” to “farter”.
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Things got so tense that Bradley had to take numerous trips backstage to cool off.
Then in the final moments as it looked like the team were about to win the biggest prize pot in The Chase’s history the lights cut out with the studio’s light board sparking up.
At this point And and Dec ran on stage dressed as firemen.
“Come here you two!” Bradley called as he bashed their heads together.
“I cannot believe it. You’ve done me again!” he fumed.
(Image: ITV)
(Image: ITV)
Back in 2014 the pair pranked Holly Wiloughby on the set of her show Surprise, Surprise.
Using ridiculous wigs and prosthetics Ant and Dec managed to completely dupe Holly.
They roped in boyband Blue, with Ant walking up to a woman on stage and proposing in front of a delighted Holly.
(Image: ITV)
(Image: ITV)
But there was a twist as the woman gave a resounding ‘no’ to the romantic moment before admitting she was having an affair with another man on stage.
When it was revealed it was all a prank, Holly put on a brave face but still couldn’t resist giving both Ant and Dec a playful whack in the arm.
Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/ant–decs-saturday-night-23515893