Saturday Night Takeaway viewers have blasted a prank in the new series which featured a dad-to-be attending a fake 4D baby scan. Minutes into the opening show of the 2023 series hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly introduced the audience to a couple in a restaurant, who were whisked from their date into the studio much to the husband's surprise.
It transpired that the husband is a prankster and his wife had had enough. So over the best part of a year she worked with Ant and Dec to get her own back on the ITV entertainment show.
Ant and Dec explained that they plotted with Amy after being told she was three months pregnant. Firstly they tricked her husband Liam by setting up a fake 4D baby scan, using an actress as a sonographer.
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Rock music was played and on the fake scan it appeared that the unborn child was pulling a rock and roll salute hand gesture in response to the sounds. Liam was then taken to a fake anenatal scan, and after their adorable son was born the wind-up continued with a set-up family photoshoot which had Liam being asked to pull silly faces as Ant and Dec watched it all unfold and fed instructions through ear-pieces.
Viewers flocked to Twitter to complain that the sketch was "in bad taste." @missfre_247016 said: "It feels in very bad taste." @snoopy63432704 asked: "Fake baby scan?? Too far, nothing but cruel." And @geordiegalg wrote: "This isn't sitting comfortably with me for some reason. Feels cruel. Weird thing to make a prank about."
@GJacques24 wrote: "As someone who has recently lost a child. I think it’s a bit disgusting to be joking around about something like this." And @TraylorHolmes said: "This baby scan prank is really bad taste."
@astrotomato complained: "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."
@ErinBell01 said: "I can't watch this fake baby scan, must be the worst thing they've ever done, it's awful." @dawnilow said: "#SaturdayNightTakeaway really distasteful prank with the baby." And @Shirker40 tweeted: "This isn't funny and abit cruel."
@CourtneyxWillis asked: "Using a baby ultrasound for a prank is a bit weird, no?" @Elle88Mc wrote: "I can’t be the only one who finds this prank on @antanddec #SaturdayNightTakeaway in very bad taste? Actually quite triggering Not all pregnancies go to plan and to make light of the process is just gross."
@cookmandy said: "This is really very poor he won't get those first ever events back and now they're all fake." And @Alice_M_music said: "Child birth and pregnancy is not a joke! Too far! Some people would only dream of having a baby. Couldn’t believe what I was watching."
@mollytpwk_ asked the show's official Twitter: "Surely you know pregnancy isn’t something to be pranked about, very insensitive and very cruel to the poor guy!" And @louisetweddell said: "It’s genuinely disgraceful that you haven’t given a moment of thought to the thousands of people who experience receiving bad news in scans including finding their babies have died. How you thought this was funny is unbelievable."
@GarrMunro complained: "So 'pranking' a soon to be 1st time dad during a scan, birth classes and then later during a family photoshoot with the newborn in what should be special occasions. Tell me when to laugh." @missfre_247016 said: "Honestly very much considering an OFCOM complaint." And @BrumTheftUK wrote: "Don’t agree with the baby prank on the dad. He never got to experience a real scan. That’s harsh!!!! Bang out of order.@ITV #Ofcom reporting."
But @totallyangel_xo said with laughing emojis: "Omg they got this guy good." @Rebecca25510504 said: "Can we all just enjoy the show without being total snowflakes about everything where's the fun in being offended by absolutely everything."
@Holz_mfc laughed: "Absolutely crying! This guy put up with so much." And @Bekola1975 applauded: "Brilliant and what a lovely family."
At the end of the sketch Ant and Dec delighted the couple as they announced they were opening a savings account for their son and giving him £1,000 every year until he's 18. @mlawelshgirl praised: "Aww that’s lovely from ant and dec opening a savers account for that couple’s son a grand every year until the baby’s 18 years old there be £18,000 by then."
@JayHWarne tweeted: "I think that was a brilliant segment and joyful and a lovely surprise at the end." And @FleuritoFaveees gasped: "Wowzers Ant and Dec giving that baby 18k is amazing."
The Manchester Evening News has contacted ITV for comment.
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