Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway had a surreal feel this weekend as the show aired without a studio audience.
The crowd traditionally plays a huge part in the programme, cheering the musical acts and taking part in various challenges throughout the 90-minute extravaganza.
But with restrictions placed on group gatherings in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the presenters and producers devised segments to provide much-needed laughs.
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly made their usual grand entrances, making their way past empty seats and onto the stage.
“This is the strangest of times, “ remarked Dec as the crew, whose numbers were also reduced, cheered.
“It’s a little bit weird,” Ant added. “But we’ll try and have fun, won’t we?”
The duo kicked things off with the help of viewers at home, as four sons presented their mums, who were unaware they were being filmed, with bunches of flowers ahead of Mother’s Day.
It was then revealed that unbeknownst to them, the three women had taken part in challenges earlier this week when they were asked to go to a London pub and retrieve their backpacks, phones and wallets.
Hilarious footage recorded secretly saw them being asked to work behind the bar and interrupt a nude life-drawing class while picking up the belongings.
They also took part in a special edition of Ant vs Dec while Joel Dommett served as the special guest announcer.
Viewers commended the pair for pushing ahead with the show and brightening up the weekend:
Saturday Night Takeaway is one of a growing number of shows to be affected by the global coronavirus outbreak.
Loose Women, the Jeremy Vine Show and Question Time were all filmed without studio audiences this week while production on dramas including Line of Duty, Peaky Blinders and Call The Midwife has ground to a halt.
The BBC has also suspended filming on its BBC Studios output, with the EastEnders, Doctors and Casualty sets among those now unusually deserted.
