Ant McPartlin tells contestant to ‘shut up’ live during Saturday Night Takeaway

Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway erupted into chaos when co-host Ant McPartlin lost his rag at a contestant.

Having first been broadcast in 2002, Saturday Night Takeaway announced it was entering an indefinite hiatus after this season due to Ant and Dec prioritising their workload.

However, determined to go out with a bang, McPartlin, 48, and his Geordie co-host Declan Donnelly, 48, returned to helm the 20th series of the beloved show on Saturday (2 March).

Starting as they mean to go on, the ITV mainstay erupted into sheer chaos during a game of Ring My Bell.

Back with a twist, the game sees several people in the audience trying to win £500 for themselves and a neighbour.

The challenge sees the audience member’s doorbell camera being beamed on a screen in the studio.

If a viewer from home recognised the live location or the person that it belonged to, they would have to run over to the doorbell and talk through it.

So, whoever clocks their neighbour’s door gets an item chosen by the show's hosts wins - sounds easy, right?

This year though Ring My Bell was a little tricker with two locations being beamed up on screen at the same time.

And when neighbours from two different areas of the UK had to rely on an earpiece to communicate with the live ITV studio, things turned tumultuous.

ITV

Despite the neighbours from Wrexham getting to the doorbell first, it appeared as if they were unable to hear Ant and Dec in the studio.

“What is your name Wrexham?” asked McPartlin, only for the man from Tividale to reply and say his name was Matt Carnell.

Wanting to speak to Angela from Wrexham, host McPartin said: “Not you Tividale, shut up Tividale I’m going to Wrexham!”

The outburst earned a rousing round of laughter from the ITV show’s audience while McPartlin continued to try and get the Welsh family’s attention.

“Wrexham - what’s your name? The first person that got there, what number do you live at?”

Hilariously, the Ring My Bell contestant from Tividale answered and said: “It’s the Old Chapell Hall and it’s Matt Carnell.”

Laughing, McPartlin shushed the man again before attempting once again to get the attention of Angela.

ITV

Attempting to defuse the chaotic situation, Donnelly chimed: “Wrexham, do you have a mop?”

“Hold up your mop if you can hear us because we can’t here you,” McPartlin added.

Thankfully it seemed as if the Welsh contestants could hear the Saturday Night Takeaway hosts loud and clear as a mop was held up to the camera.

“You got there first and rules are rules even if we can’t hear you,” said McPartlin over the noise of the crowd.

You can tune into Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway every Saturday evening from 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX.