Ant & Dec FAULT magazine cover shoot and interview

Ant & Dec X FAULT Magazine

Photo: Jack Alexander
Styling: Callum Vincent

Grooming: Claudine Taylor
Styling assistant: Emma Mesquita
Set design: Victoria Wood

Interview: Miles Holder

Ant & Dec have been mainstays of British television for over 30 years, and while we may be a generation removed from Byker Grove and SMTV Live, their lasting influence is still evident today. Their early presenting work eventually led to the creation of their own prime-time show, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, in 2002, and the rest was history.

As Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway gears up for its final season, FAULT Magazine reminisces with the duo about the show’s influence, their journey in the spotlight, and, of course, their FAULT.

Wrong: Ant & Dec’s Saturday night takeout is coming. You must be reflecting a lot. Did you think it would last this long?

Ali: No, it’s not. I distinctly remember them just putting in the sets and finishing up the lighting for the end of the first episode. We were obviously very nervous but were still making final preparations. We looked at each other and said, “God, wouldn’t it be great if this continued for a while?” And here we are, 22 years later, 20 years into the series. This feels like a real accomplishment. We are extremely honored as there are not many other series that have lasted this long.

Dec: It was a show we always wanted to make. We do children’s television and Saturday mornings, and we always wanted to do a live Saturday primetime show. It was the kind of shows we grew up watching, like “Game for a Laugh” and “Noel’s House Party.” We eventually got there and did it, and it became one of the staples of Saturday night TV. It feels like the end of an era, but it also feels like the right time has come.

Cons: Do you have time to think about the show’s larger impact during the broadcast, or does it just go by in a blur?

December: A little bit of both. One of the big problems we have with Saturday night takeout is that it’s constant. So we’re always working on that. Every year in April, after the show, we all get together and ask, “What are we going to do next year?” It’s like a hamster wheel. Just keep doing it and it will last forever. When you’re in the middle of something, you’re always thinking about the next thing, so you don’t have a chance to reflect on what you’ve done. Now, let’s get to the last part. We were able to reflect on some of the things we’ve done.

Ant: Like researchers and producers, the team doesn’t necessarily work on every series. So the only real regulars at the show were the two of us.

Folt: Looking back, what do you think was the most surprising moment?

December: There were quite a few. It always amazes me when you do a show like this that relies so much on the general public and surprises people. We broadcast live into people’s living rooms to surprise families during the show, and this woman got such a big surprise that she took off her wig and started twirling it.

Ant: We couldn’t believe it. And neither of us could speak for several minutes on live TV. We just had a good laugh. Sometimes you just have to let the moment be.

Fault: Can you give us a hint as to what “something huge” is happening in the launch episode?

December: We’re doing something big that we’ve never done before. That’s a big surprise.

Ant: That’s it. That’s all we can tell you! In the series, all popular items that have been developed so far will be returned. Throughout the series, Little Ant and Dec have appeared. Little Ant and Deck had two versions of him. We started making them years ago and then Little Ant and Dec grew taller than us. So we successfully relocated them…they ended up living on a farm with plenty of room to run around. <笑>

December: It’s going to be a mix of new elements, but also looking back at the 20 series, revisiting some of the things we did a long time ago, and doing them again in a different way.

Mistake: I’ve taken a break for Saturday night takeout before. Do you see a future in which you return, or do you feel like it’s a good time to turn the page?

Ant: I think it’s a good time to turn the pages and it gives you time to think. You can’t think of another version of Saturday Night Takeaway while “Saturday Night Takeaway” is on the air. You need to get away from it.

December: I think I missed what happened the last time I took a break. We came up with a lot of ideas and started thinking, “Oh, that would be great.” We want to give ourselves the same opportunity this time around and miss the show to see how we feel and where it takes us.

Fault: Have you ever reflected on your life’s work and the impact you both have had on British television?

December: Very rare. When you’re in the middle of a storm, I don’t think you often stop and look back. We realized a few years ago that as a partnership he has been working together for 30 years. That allowed us to stop and reflect a little. But it doesn’t last long because I’m always thinking about what the next project is and what I’m going to do next.

Ant: It was the same when we published a book to commemorate 30 years of working together. Then I had to record an audiobook. I just finished the SMTV Live chapter and talked about what it was like working with Cat Deeley on ITV on a Saturday morning. We never really thought about that period before, and it’s only when we look back decades later that we think, “That was such a wonderful time in our lives.” It wasn’t just on TV, we were living in London and doing the show. We became very good friends. The three of us used to work together and party together. You know, it was the late ’90s in London. There were no camera phones, no social media, and I feel like it was the last show that really did that.

Cons: It’s interesting how SMTV Live shaped a generation.

Ant: As I drove away from that session, I felt sad. It’s not that I’m sad because I want to go back there. However, I felt very disappointed because it was such a wonderful time. Did I appreciate it enough at the time? But I think we were in our mid-20s. That will never happen, and it’s only when you get older and look back that you realize how special the television era was.

Failure: Do you see your accomplishments reflected in up-and-coming performers, or is the “Ant and Dec” lightning bolt in a bottle?

December: I don’t know. There is no practice field anymore. There was children’s TV on Saturday mornings, so I was able to learn some serious work. On the other hand, I think our entire career has been built on friendship. That’s one of the things that I think sets us apart a little bit. We don’t have friendships built on careers, we have careers built on friendships. This is a very important difference.

Dec: That doesn’t happen very often. I think that’s part of why people enjoy watching what we do. Everyone has a best friend. I think people see themselves and their best friends reflected in us.

Downside: We hate to step into old shoes, but what are some aspects of your friendships or career that no one has asked before?

Ant: This is one of them! We’ve been interviewed thousands of times over the years, so I don’t think there’s a question we haven’t been asked at some stage in our careers. We started in Biker Grove when we were 13 years old, so we gradually rose to fame. It didn’t happen overnight and social media wasn’t blowing up all over the place, so I kind of got used to it. I think that helped us stay calm to some extent. You’re never completely normal when you work in television, but I think I’ve been very lucky that not much has changed.

December: I’m not saying it’s like Macaulay Culkin became famous and became a child star at the age of five, but I do think it was nice to have that fame drip into him. So, when answering your question,<笑> I don’t know if there are any questions that we haven’t been asked.

Ant: We’ve never slept together… Has anyone ever asked us that? I don’t think so. See, no one ever asked us if we ever slept together!

Deku: Ah…

Ant: Yes, please. There’s no need to answer, Deku-san! <笑>

Ant: People have always hinted at it.

Dec: It’s funny, people are hinting and speculating.

Fail: Leave it to the next person to interview. When you look back on your career, what was the most difficult aspect you had to overcome creatively?

Ant: I’m sure you’ve paused before, like when you consciously paused your Saturday night takeaway or when you took a break from watching TV for a while. I think we almost have to relearn each other every time we come back together, but it has given us a deeper respect and a deeper love for each other. I think that’s one of the challenges we’ve overcome. I think they really helped us in our friendships and in our careers.

December: We started working together when we were 13 years old and quickly became friends. But you know, we’re both 49 years old this year. We obviously know she’s not the same person she was when she was 13 years old. So throughout our careers, we’ve both changed. But being able to maintain that friendship is not natural. Sometimes you have to work with your friendships, sometimes you have to compromise, sometimes you have to give each other space, time, etc.

Fault: What’s next for Ant and Dec?

Ant: We do a lot of shows, and then we do Britain’s Got Talent, but on a more personal level, one of the reasons we’re pausing takeaways is because we ourselves need a break. Because I need to spend time with my family. We both have kids so we need to spend some time together. We need time to think, we need time to step back and look at the big picture and see where we are right now. As I say, “We’re 49 years old, what do we want to do next?” What’s the next step in our careers? ” And we have a lot of ideas and suggestions and a lot of choices of what we can do. But we are working on what we do next and where the next chapter begins. I plan to do that once Saturday night takeout is gone. Calm down, take a moment, and reevaluate everything.

Weaknesses: What are your weaknesses?

December: I’ll get there before Ant arrives. I’m very, very bad at timekeeping. I’m never on time for anything. I’m always at least, well, 5 minutes late at most.

Ant: It was 10 o’clock today. And it’s reasonable.

December: I’m really bad at timekeeping. Well, I think so, I think so. I think that’s a thing. I think it’s genetic since my mother is the same way. My mother is very bad at keeping time, which she inherited from her mother. So I’m like, yeah, I’m terrible.

Ant: There’s probably a lot of failures, but I’m really surprised they didn’t swear on TV because of all the swearing. I hope you are not tempted by fate and are clear. We touch on a lot of trees here. You need to review your vocabulary. Because I have a child and he has a bad mouth.