Ant and Dec sign new three-year deal with ITV
Ant and Dec have signed a new deal with ITV which will see them stay with the channel for another three years.
The new contract will see the duo continue to appear exclusively on the channel until at least the end of 2019. It means the pair will present further series of Britain's Got Talent, Saturday Night Takeaway and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! The duo said they were "absolutely delighted to be extending our relationship with ITV". "This deal will take us past the 20-year mark with ITV and we couldn't be happier." In addition to their presenting duties, the duo said they would be "exploring further opportunities both in front of and behind the camera". Ant and Dec, whose full names are Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, have been with the channel since 1998. They began presenting Saturday morning programme SM:tv and CD:UK before moving to host prime time shows on the channel. They have won 12 Baftas and a record-breaking 30 National Television Awards during their time on ITV. Kevin Lygo, ITV's director of television, 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's television career began in 1989 when they joined BBC children's drama Byker Grove. Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, on Instagram at bbcnewsents, or if you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.