ANT & DEATH WISH! He loves TV stunts
Show host gets a kick out of danger
ANT McPartlin adores the live challenges on Saturday Night Takeaway – because of the danger of death.
The TV presenter reckons he gets an adrenaline kick from the terror trials.
Ant and Dec Donnelly have competed against each other in every series of the show since 2005 in various stunts.
They have abseiled down 22 floors at ITV Studios in London, been lifted 120ft in the air by a crane and ridden a zip wire 300ft down a building.
But Ant says he loves this part of the show most of all because of the danger.
Takeaway marks its 100th episode on Saturday and, when asked to name his favourite challenge, the Geordie said: “Probably abseiling down the building for Ant Versus Dec. I love anything involving heights and danger and potential death.”
At the weekend Ant, who has battled painkiller addiction, injured his elbow while taking part in the Ant Versus Dec Monster Jam truck race challenge. He was left in agony but battled on.
But over the years it is Dec who usually comes off worse. In 2013 he fell over a rubber mat and injured his foot while training to join acrobats Spelbound.
Then in 2007 Dec ended up on crutches after falling over during an ice skating contest on the show. And in 2005 he crashed and broke his right thumb and left elbow during a motorbike jump.
Dec said: “I don’t really like the scary stuff but they always manage to persuade me to give in and do it. Ant’s much better at those ones than me.”
Saturday Night Takeaway’s 100th episode airs this weekend on ITV at 7pm.