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Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway bans live studio audience amid coronavirus fears

18 March 2020, 11:13 | Updated: 18 March 2020, 11:14

Ant and Dec have cancelled their SNT audience. Picture: ITV

ITV has confirmed Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway will record without a studio audience for the first time ever.

Saturday Night Takeaway bosses have revealed Ant and Dec will film the show this weekend - but without a studio audience.

The Geordie presenters reportedly held an emergency meeting with ITV over the future of the show amid growing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

You can find the latest Coronavirus (Covid-19) advice from the NHS here

Ant and Dec will continue SNT without an audience. Picture: ITV

And bosses decided that it would be irresponsible to shoot with lots of people in the same room, with a spokesperson telling The Sun: "Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway will go ahead this weekend without a studio audience.

"Our priority is safeguarding the well-being of everyone involved.

"The show will be made with a reduced production crew and in accordance with the latest guidance from Public Health England.

"The team are looking forward to bringing our viewers a brilliant show on Saturday evening."

Many viewers will be interested to see how the programme works without a live studio, as much of the hour long episode revolves around audience participation.

It will be the first time ever the prime time show has shot without an audience, with TV insiders telling The Sun the team are working hard to make sure it is a success.

This comes after Ant and Dec were forced to cancel their live finale from Florida after a new travel ban.

Instead, the “place on the plane” competition will go ahead at a later date.

Other popular shows such as Loose Women, Celebrity Juice have also ditched studio audiences for now, whole BBC's EastEnders has also stopped filming.

1,950 cases of Coronavirus have been recorded in the UK so far, with 71 deaths.