As Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly appeared on our TV screens last night for the first episode of the new series of Saturday Night Takeaway, they faced a backlash for not social distancing.
Fans watching the show couldn't help notice the double act weren’t keeping a two metres distance apart.
Many took to Twitter to rant about Ant and Dec being so close on TV when the rest of the UK are being told to keep their distance from other households.
One Twitter user said: “This 2m apart due to social distancing on #SaturdayNightTakeaway is doing my head in like they haven't been tested and are going to chill out and drink after the show-show-show together.”
Another sarcastically raged: “nice to see the kids social distancing” followed by a row of angry face emojis.
However, the pair have previously explained their lack of social distancing on screen and told This Morning in September that they take steps to make sure they're Covid-compliant.
Ant told the breakfast show’s presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that the much-loved pair get tested every four days.
Dec jokingly added: "We're like premiership footballers... that's where the similarity ends.
"We get tested down the throat and up the nose. Basically our households are connected and we form a cohort."
The duo explained themselves to Alex Jones on BBC’s The One Show after the host feared a backlash from viewers because of the pair’s closeness.
Unfortunately, last night’s social distancing confusion wasn’t the only issue as Ant and Dec’s hit show got back underway for another series.
Viewers also complained about background noise coming from the virtual audience.
Some went as far as saying it was “unwatchable” and “distracting”, with others saying they had to turn the show off.
Coronavirus restrictions mean the presenters can’t be joined by a studio audience.
Instead, the show had over 300 people join the virtual audience from the comfort of their own homes.
Gary Barlow, Olly Alexander, Jamie and Harry Redknapp were among the star-studded line up for the show’s return.
