Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway 2016

Noel Edmonds, the man who's hosted the same gameshow based upon opening red shoeboxes for 11 years. And let's not forget how little success Vic and Bob have had over the past decade compared to their height.

They've always said Takeaway is a tribute to Game For A Laugh, Noel's House Party and the likes. But come on. Take Me Out owes a debt to Blind Date. You're Back in the Room owes a debt to those Paul McKenna shows. Ninja Warrior owes a debt to Gladiators (yes I know it's an international format but I'm sure that was a factor in ITV bringing it over here). The Voice, The X Factor, and BGT all owe a debt to Opportunity Knocks and New Faces. Except one relies on spinning chairs to make it special, and the other two put so much focus on who hosts and who judges, it's a complete farce. And let's not forget there are entire shows that are just updated classics like Catchphrase, Mr and Mrs, and Family Fortunes. I don't think Takeaway is the sole suspect if you're going to play the copycat card.

Feel free to criticise the lack of imagination but I think this is far superior than almost anything else that airs on a Saturday night nowadays.

Totally agree. Enjoy it for what it is - some light-hearted FUN.

Unless you've got an idea for a completely original, never been done before Saturday night show?

Celebrity Speed DIY - celebrities try and build household items for members of the audience against the clock. Tommy Walsh gets to hit the celebrities with a wet kipper every time he sees them making a mistake.

The best piece of DIY, rather than being given to the audience member, wins them a properly constructed item by Tommy Walsh.

C4 is the same with The Last Leg, using something which really doesn't fit nicely next to the DOG. Agree they're unnecessary, though a compromise of just a brief "Live" graphic as they return from the break would be fine - think that's what they do in the US. I suspect too some portions which appear live are not live too, like Ant vs Dec and some weeks the Star Guest Announcer.


As for the show - not a bad opener. It badly needed some fresh material and there was enough in there to keep in interesting. Ashley Roberts should have remained as host of Ant vs Dec though - any decision which leads to more Stephen Mulhern on TV is not a good one, though to be fair they play that up brilliantly. Looking forward to Who Shot Simon Cowell more than I should be too.

I think what the real shame is is this is basically the only show of this nature on TV all year now, and though it's formula is very familar to us all now it's still fast paced and changes from one thing to another rather quickly, with the guests entering their world and encouraged to be themselves, or exaggerated versions of themselves, rather than follow a PR agenda.

What caliber of celebrity are we talking?

I'm sure UKTV have probably beaten you to that idea. With a wet kipper.

As high calibre as can be afforded, with a combination of fees and insurance against DIY accidents.

I wonder if they might do an Ant vs Dec in The Crystal Maze.

On the one hand that might be amazing. On the other it might put it into the head of some TV exec that should The Crystal Maze be revived that Stephen Mulhern would be the perfect host.

I did find the shoehorning in of Stephen Mulhern somewhat ominous.

I expect that should Ant & Dec not renew their ITV contract that it will be Stephen Mulherns Saturday Night Takeaway airing next year

I don't think it's any different from shoehorning any ITV face into the show. They've previously found a way to adapt shows such as Judge Rinder, The Chase and Catchphrase into their audience surprises and Ant v Dec segments. And you'd be hard pressed to get through an episode without catching sight of somebody from a judge or contestant from Britain's Got Talent or X Factor (Who Shot Simon Cowell or Who else can we get to boost the profile of his shows) or any previous participant of I'm a Celebrity. Not to mention the show which the adverts come from (seriously, why is that still a thing) for Win the Ads is just a way to shamelessly plug an ITV programme.

I know my previous post saw me leap to SNT's defence, but I still have my fair share of issues with it.