Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway enjoyed its biggest ever audience as families stayed home to watch TV over the weekend.
The Geordie duo had vowed to “put a smile on people’s faces” ahead of the show and they pulled in an average of 9.5 million viewers, peaking at 11.1 million, despite having no studio audience.
But it’s also the last live show of the run as the boys are going into lockdown.
Dec said: “That is it, show is done. That is it for the lives. We will be back next week but it is on tape.”
The highlight was the End of the Show Show, with Olly Murs singing Dance With Me Tonight in the studio in front of dozens of videos of fans dancing along at home.
Insiders revealed the two final episodes of the series would go ahead using recorded items and “best bits”.
A source said: “This week’s show will be 60 minutes with pre-recorded links by Ant and Dec. It’ll include the final episode of mini-series Men in Brown and some of Ant and Dec’s favourite moments.
“The series finale on April 4 will be a 60-minute new special compilation show featuring some of SNT’s greatest moments from over the years with some new intros from the boys too.
“They have worked really hard to make sure the series can be completed in some form because they know people will want something to watch.”
The duo also launched a mental wellness campaign on screen on Saturday night amid the outbreak.
They have called on the nation to reach out to their loved ones as part of ITV’s Britain Get Talking campaign.
ITV have joined forces with YoungMinds and Mind to urge the public to support one another.
Ant said: “More of us will be apart or by ourselves than ever before. It’s going to be harder for some of us than it is for others.
“So if there’s someone you can’t be with right now, pick up the phone and show them that you care.
“Reach out to the ones who need it most.”
Other shows to benefit from people isolating at home including The Voice on ITV, which managed a peak of 5.4million, its highest audience of the series, while on BBC1 the 10pm news got 4.5million.
Other ways to stay entertained on Saturday night included a live DJ set by fashion guru turned-DJ, Gok Wan.
He launched House of Gok on Instagram, and told fans: “See you on the dance floor tonight at 8.30pm on instagram live! Please take picture and record videos of you partying and tag me in! #communityiseverything xxx.”
One virtual raver couldn’t believe how much his life has changed due to the pandemic and tweeted: “What’s my life come to. Can’t believe I’m watching Gok Wan do a DJ set on Instagram live on a Saturday night.”
In the States, DJ D-Nice has started live-streaming a set fans are calling “Club Quarantine”.
On Saturday his set attracted 100,000 “clubbers” with former First Lady Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna as virtual guests.
Dancing on Ice judge John Barrowman spent his Saturday evening building the Millennium Falcon out of Lego.
He posted online: “As requested @scottmale and I are going to start the build. @lego #millenniumfalcon #fabulous. We will keep you posted on the progress with random #timelapse posts. Jb.”
Comedian Jack Whitehall entertained himself by playing keepy-uppy with a toilet roll, while DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles kept it simple.
He said: “Great movie Hell or High Water Ch4 right now.
“Jeff Bridges & Gil Birmingham are brilliant. Waitress Margaret Bowman steals the show though.”
As Britain faced its first weekend without pubs, punters turned to online boozing sessions to cope.
The Corona Arms is one virtual pub that has popped up online, where people can drop in for a pint using meeting app Zoom.
Dr Amy Kavanaugh shared the rules for punters wanting to drop in at her virtual pub, The Staying Inn: “1. No COVID_19 chat, 2. Wash your hands, 3. No social media scrolling, 4.
Additional customers via Skype invite only, 5. Cover your mouth if you cough and sneeze, 6. No cheating at board games.”
Another punter missing the pub, Alex Watson, said on Twitter : “Pleased to announce I am now a virtual pub landlord. I opened the Winchester Tavern online for my work pals at 5pm sharp tonight, expecting it to be awkward and weird. It’s an hour and a half later, and we’re still going. Can’t stress how great this is – do it, do it, do it.”
Bath University’s student union is running virtual pub quizzes.
And pub-goer Rhidian Bramley pointed out the virtual pub has many benefits. He said: “Went down the virtual pub last night. Turned out more it was fun than the real thing.”
The most awkward Saturday night had to be for Gary Lineker, who was one of 3 million people watching a Match of the Day programme.
Lineker, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright debated who were the greatest captains of the Premier League era in a pre-recorded, videoed podcast.
He tweeted: “Well, this a first. Watching @BBCMOTD at home on a Saturday night. Thank heavens the real thing is always live. Can’t stand watching myself. Strange times.”
