Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway has reported a record number of viewers for Saturday’s programme, which was filmed without a live audience because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The popular ITV variety show reached an average of 9.5 million people on Saturday, peaking at 11.1 million - the most in the series’ history.
The ratings are the highest of any UK broadcast TV channel since the New Year’s Eve fireworks at the end of 2019 on BBC One. It is also Saturday Night Takeaway‘s highest ever viewership number since the series’ debut in 2002.
In the episode, hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly also helped launch an initiative to help people struggling with their mental health during coronavirus self-isloation.
At the end of Saturday Night Takeaway, they addressed the audience at home, saying: ”we need each other more than ever”.
“Now more of us will be apart, or by ourselves, than ever before and it’s going to be harder for some of us than it is for others,” said McPartlin, “which is why it’s never been more important that we keep talking.”
ITV have teamed up with YoungMinds and Mind to organise the Britain Get Talking campaign, which urges people to reach out to their loved ones and talk about mental health.
You can keep up-to-date with all the latest coronavirus-related news here.
