EXCLUSIVE: Ant and Dec ‘are plotting prime time TV COMEBACK’ – just months after Saturday Night Takeaway was shelved following 20 series

Ant and Dec are secretly plotting a prime-time TV comeback, just months after Saturday Night Takeaway was shelved following 20 series.

The duo is set to return with a brand-new show in the New Year, according to their close friend and co-star Stephen Mulhern.

Catchphrase host Stephen, 46, told MailOnline that he’s in conversation with the much-loved double act about teaming up on a series to fill the Saturday night slot, given there will be a vital ‘gap’ in the TV scheduling.

Stephen has been a part of Saturday Night Takeaway since 2016, becoming known for his outrageous costumes, which have included an inflatable unicorn, a golden door knock, and last year he even transformed into Donald Trump.

Admitting that he will ‘miss’ the show as much as the viewers, Stephen explained that he and Ant and Dec have been busy coming up with a new plan to delight audiences. 

Ant and Dec are secretly plotting a prime-time TV comeback, just months after their show Saturday Night Takeaway was shelved following 20 series

The duo is set to return with a brand-new show in the New Year, according to their close friend and co-star Stephen Mulhern 

Stephen said MailOnline: ‘The question is… what is going to replace Saturday Night Takeaway?… I have been with the boys for a long time on the show and there is a big gap…

‘We are always talking about what ifs and what could be… the last time we all spoke was a week and a half ago, so we are always thinking about it.’

The star revealed that he quizzed Ant and Dec on the real reason why they decided to take a break from the much-loved Saturday night show, insisting their plan is to come back ‘better’ and ‘stronger.’

And he admits that it won’t be just the viewers to miss the popular show because he too will feel the loss of the programme. 

He explained: ‘I asked Ant and Dec about this when they announced it… I said, ‘what is the reason behind it?’ and they were brutally honest about it.

‘They rested the show before and they gave it a revamp and they feel now that after 20 years it’s time to rest it again to give it another revamp and come back better and stronger.

‘Listen, it’s their choice, it’s their show but will I miss it as much as the audience? 100 per cent.

‘There’s the other thing it takes so much time, all the behind-the-scenes stuff… I just turn up and do my bit, it is the end of the era but only for now.’

With additional time on their hands following the end of Saturday Night Takeaway, for now, Ant and Dec are set to return to Saturday night TV with a new project

The star revealed that he quizzed Ant and Dec on the real reason why they decided to take a break from the much-loved Saturday night show 

Stephen’s workload may have just doubled as he also revealed to being in talks with ITV over replacing Phillip Schofield as Dancing On Ice host.

Bosses fired the ex-This Morning presenter earlier this year after he admitted to having a secret affair with a younger colleague and lying about to his employer, as well as former friend and co-star Holly Willoughby.

After standing in for Phil last year when he had Covid, Stephen admits joining the Dancing On Ice team would be a natural fit, and he would adore to work with close friend Holly once again.

However, Holly’s future on the ice show is also in doubt following her sudden departure from This Morning last week.

The presenter quit the show after 14 years when an alleged plot to kidnap and murder her was exposed.

He said: ‘I used to do the spinoff show Defrosted and when I stood in for Phil when he wasn’t too well, he had Covid, I really enjoyed it and it was so lovely being back with Holly.

‘We had a great time together plus lots of the team were the same from when I did the ITV2 show.

‘We are talking about it, but I promise you now that nothing is confirmed but if it happens, it will be absolutely amazing… if it doesn’t, look, it doesn’t. I promise you I would tell you if we had it confirmed at this point.

‘The lineup is the best it has been in a few years… I am keeping across the lineup, just in case… It is a huge staple, and it has been around.’ 

Following over two decades in show business, Stephen has been honoured with his own statue that on Wednesday was presented to him in Stratford, London, which is where he grew up

From performing as a Butlin’s Redcoat in his teens to fronting primetime television, Stephen says he has come full circle 

Stephen says he crafted his act working at Butlin’s when he was just 18 and performing at the holiday camp gave him the skills he needed to work in the entertainment industry

In throwback photographs, Stephen wears the famous Butlin’s uniform, which this year has been revamped for the first time since 2011

Following over two decades in show business, Stephen has been honoured with his own statue that on Wednesday was presented to him for the first time in Stratford, London, which is where he grew up.

From performing as a Butlin’s Redcoat in his teens to fronting primetime television, Stephen says he has come full circle as he will soon present Deal or No Deal, originally hosted by Noel Edmonds, who he used to introduce on stage when he worked at the holiday resort.

The statue has been commissioned to celebrate the launch of a brand-new Redcoats uniform, by Jermyn Street Design, the first redesign since 2011, which has been modelled by Stephen in new photographs. 

And now Stephen hopes to encourage future stars of the stage and screen to join the brand-new Butlin’s Redcoats Academy, which he says will provide those yearning to be in entertainment with the skills they need to succeed.

He said: ‘I have just seen the statue for the first time, they have built a statue which they are going to place it in Butlin’s Minehead Resort, which is where I was a Redcoat. My biggest fear is that it was an Ant and Dec windup but it’s the real deal, so I was over the moon that it’s all gone according to plan.

‘It is an honour, I have always supported Butlin’s, I did two years there, I started when I was 18 and left when I was 20 and by the time I left I had an act, and I was ready to go out and just give it a try.

‘What I have always said about Butlin’s is, and I genuinely believe this, I have friends that go to drama school, I think it gives you the best training ground because you’re in front of an audience straight away, there’s no messing about.

‘The fact that they’re now doing an academy is great because it’s going to teach people singing, dancing, hosting, presenting, DJing, a new breed of performer will come from Butlin’s in the coming years.’

He still performs residencies at Butlin’s, to the surprise of his fanbase, but Stephen insists there is no better training than being faced with a live audience, of which he does three times a day at the family-friendly holiday getaway. 

Stephen said: ‘The other weird thing is when I was a Redcoat in 97 and 98, I was introducing people like Noel Edmonds and of course now with Deal or No Deal… talk about full circle.

‘I feel really proud of my career and because we have stayed connected… Butlin’s have helped me and I like to think I have helped them, together we have a good partnership.

‘And this is why I still tour with them because funnily enough, people say to me ‘oh, you’re still touring at Butlin’s?’ and I say ‘yes!’ there’s no other venue where you can guarantee getting a 3,000 strong audience, three shows a day, where else can you do that in the country? It is virtually impossible, I’m over the moon to still be part of it and to be there next year and indeed the year after.’

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