Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway returned to our TV screens on Saturday (February 20) for a star-studded show with a virtual audience.
Segments such as Win the Ads and I’m a Celebrity...Get Out of My Ear made their comeback with Gary Barlow, Olly Alexander and Jamie and Harry Redknapp among the show's all-star lineup.
But viewers of the show couldn’t help but notice one thing.
As the country remains under strict lockdown restrictions - meaning separate households are having to keep their distance - some fans were left confused as to why Ant and Dec themselves weren’t socially distancing.
In practice, the pair - who don’t live together - are following the same kind of steps that have allowed other TV shows to return to our screens during a pandemic.
But that wasn’t clear to some viewers at home, who took to social media to express their confusion.
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.”
While another sarcastically added that it was “nice to see the kids social distancing” while following up the message with a row of mad face emojis, as the Mirror reports.
However, the comedy duo have previously explained their lack of social distancing on screen.
The pair told This Morning in September that they take steps to ensure they’re complying with Covid rules.
Ant told the breakfast show’s presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that they both 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 have also 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, Saturday 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.
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway airs on ITV every Saturday at 7pm
