Ant and Dec sign deal with ITV to continue shows and explore new opportunities

The contract will see the presenters appear exclusively on the channel until at least the end of 2019, meaning that they will have been with the broadcaster for more than 20 years.

The duo have signed up for further series of I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!, which was watched by an average of 10.7 million viewers when the new series launched last night, Britain’s Got Talent and Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

They said in a joint statement: “We are absolutely delighted to be extending our relationship with ITV, to continue on the three shows we love as well as exploring further opportunities both in front of and behind the camera.

“This deal will take us past the 20-year mark with ITV and we couldn’t be happier.”

ITV director of television Kevin Lygo said: “Ant and Dec are quite simply brilliant entertainers and I’m thrilled that we will be working together for another three years.

“They are incredibly passionate about television and have that rare ability to connect with audiences of all ages, which has helped make the shows they present some of the biggest on British TV.”

Ant and Dec joined ITV in 1998, presenting the Saturday morning shows SM:tv LIVE and CD:UK. They have been exclusively signed to the channel since 2000.

The pair have previously spoken about developing shows, saying that they were working on a “silent comedy idea”.