Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway nearly always brings us laughs and silly jokes - however many viewers have been left reeling after watching the hosts' first prank of the new series on ITV1. Ant and Dec opened up the long-awaited first show of the new series with a "prank" involving a pregnant woman convincing her partner that he was seeing his unborn baby in a baby scan - only to later find out live on the programme that the footage shown in the scan was faked.
A guest on the show named Amy wanted to get her revenge on her partner Liam, who she said is always pranking her. In tonight's episode, viewers heard that Ant and Dec had come up with an idea to use Amy's pregnancy, her and Liam's first baby together, to prank Liam.
In an elaborate plan, which took ten months to complete, Liam was pranked during baby scans and birthing classes - and even during a photo shoot with his and Amy's new baby son Finley, shortly after he was born. But the biggest prank occurred during a baby scan appointment, when Liam was shown a baby that was dancing and waving along to songs and sounds that he played to Amy's stomach. Shockingly, on Saturday's programme, he found out that the footage he'd seen did not show his baby and the baby's movements had been digitally edited.
READ MORE: Saturday Night Takeaway 2023 prank and Guest Announcer as ITV series returns
Further pranks included having to wear a heavy pregnancy suit and practice unrealistic birthing positions during a birthing class, and having to pose with a loaf of bread during a photo shoot and having to pretend it was baby Finley. Viewers were not impressed that Ant and Dec played a prank using a sensitive topic like pregnancy and many thought it was in bad taste.
One said: "Um, this prank on Ant+Dec is weird. They've pranked some chap who's seeing his unborn baby in a 4D scan for the first time. But it's not his baby they're showing. They've stolen quite a precious moment for a first-time parent. I think it's off, anyway.#SaturdayNightTakeaway"
"Not sure about this 'joke' or 'revenge'," another disappointed viewer said. "The poor guy thinks its his baby. Seems wrong to joke about this. #SaturdayNightTakeaway," whilst another said: "This isn't sitting comfortably with me for some reason. Feels cruel. Weird thing to make a prank about. #SaturdayNightTakeaway".
Another upset viewer, who said they had experience of losing a child, said: "As someone who has recently lost a child. I think it’s a bit disgusting to be joking around about something like this #SaturdayNightTakeaway". Whilst another said: "This baby scan prank is really bad taste. Also imagine (heaven forbid) if something had gone wrong with the pregnancy #SaturdayNightTakeaway".
At the end of the prank, Ant and Dec told Amy and Liam that they had set up a savings fund for Finley, which has £18,000 in it, a grand for every year until he is an adult.
Do you think Ant and Dec took it too far with their prank? Let us know what you thought of tonight's episode in the comments below this article.
READ NEXT:
David Tennant's famous family, real name, dream to be Doctor Who and religion
Harry to talk online about living with loss and ‘personal healing’
Gogglebox's Pete Sandiford spots 'disgusting' omission on ITV Starstruck
Gogglebox's Dave and Shirley make announcement ahead of Channel 4's show return
Ant and Dec finally speak out about 'difficult' Matt Hancock I'm a Celeb appearance
