Stephen Mulhern has urged Ant and Dec to come up with a new show after the “loss” of Saturday Night Takeaway, admitting the much-loved programme is sorely missed by viewers.
The entertainment favourite went on hiatus in 2024, bringing a pause to decades on screen. Hosts Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly said at the time that it felt like the “perfect time to pause for a little while and catch our breath”.
But Stephen, who was a familiar face on the show, believes the presenting duo should return with something new to fill the Saturday night gap.
Stephen Mulhern says Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was a ‘staple’
Speaking on the Hanging Out With Ant and Dec podcast, Stephen reflected on the impact of Saturday Night Takeaway and suggested its absence had been felt more than people expected.
“I don’t think people realised how much it would be missed,” he said.
He went on to describe the programme as a “staple” for family viewing, explaining that audiences could sit down together and enjoy something they felt safe watching.
“I speak on behalf of the nation, listen, I do,” he added.
Stephen then made his feelings about the show’s future clear, telling the pair: “You need to do something else because it’s a loss.”
Saturday Night Takeaway is not the only ITV programme Stephen has been keen to see return. During the same podcast appearance, he offered to host In For a Penny for free, urging the broadcaster to turn its apparent interest in bringing it back into action.
His Saturday night game show was shelved in 2024 after six series, with Stephen not issuing a statement at the time.
Stephen Mulhern offers to bring back In For a Penny
The conversation turned to the future of In For a Penny when Ant asked Stephen directly: “Is it coming back, is it not coming back? What’s happening?”
Stephen explained that ITV had repeatedly told him it wanted the programme back. However, he made it clear that he wanted to see those conversations lead somewhere.
“If you really want it back, bring it back,” he said.
He then surprised Ant with an offer to return to the show without taking a fee.
“Do you know I’d actually do that show for nothing? I genuinely would,” Stephen revealed.
Ant pointed out that he and Dec produced In For a Penny, joking that Stephen’s promise had now been caught on camera.
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Stephen explained that his willingness to work for free came down to how much he enjoyed the programme and the people he met along the way.
“I adore doing it but also I love being with members of the public,” he said.
In For a Penny saw Stephen travel to towns across the UK, as well as shopping centres and petrol stations, challenging members of the public to take part in unusual mini-games for the chance to win cash prizes.
The format first appeared as a regular segment on Saturday Night Takeaway before becoming a standalone ITV show in 2019.
With Stephen making his enthusiasm for a comeback abundantly clear, he has now put the ball firmly in ITV’s court. And while his plea for Ant and Dec to try something new is a separate matter, his comments underline just how much he believes Saturday Night Takeaway’s absence has left a gap for viewers.
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