Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway has been replaced this weekend (Picture: Rex)

ITV has been mocked by fans for replacing Saturday Night Takeaway with a Fast & Furious film ‘without irony’, after Ant McPartlin was arrested drink-driving and speeding which lead to a three-car crash.

The new TV schedule has seen many of Saturday’s shows pulled forward by 90 minutes and ITV have placed Fast & Furious 5 in the 10.15pm time spot.

Updated ITV schedule for this Saturday (24th March):

1830 You've Been Framed!

1900 The Voice UK

2100 Through The Keyhole

2200 ITV News and Weather

2215 Fast & Furious 5

0030 (GMT) Take Me Out

0225 (BST) Jackpot247

0400 (BST) Babushka — The Voice UK Press (@thevoiceukpress) March 19, 2018

But the fact that the movie, whose premise is simply about driving cars as fast as you can, has been scheduled after the reckless driving of Ant on Sunday afternoon, has frankly tickled many.

Without irony ITV have scheduled the film Fast and Furious for Saturday night! — Clive Warren (@ThisisClive) March 20, 2018

So Ant gets caught drink driving and #ITV helps fill the void of #SaturdayNightTakeaway with Fast and Furious 5. ? Couldn't make this stuff up. — Tom Gilroy (@tomgilroy33) March 20, 2018

So Saturday Night take away is cancelled and they’re showing Fast and Furious instead! Well done ITV ?? — Dawn? (@Tractorgirl_77) March 19, 2018

Itv have replaced #SaturdayNightTakeaway and put Fast and Furious 5 in the time slot due to ant's drink driving, is that a joke ? — Katiefxo (@Katiefxo) March 20, 2018

Cracking banter from itv to replace drink driving dec with the fast and furious ??????? — Michael Sproson (@MichaelJSproson) March 20, 2018

Saturday Night Takeaway has been pulled from this week’s schedules after co-host Ant confirmed he’s heading back to rehab following his arrest on suspicion of drink driving.




The show is not airing this weekend, with the final two episodes, currently scheduled for 31 March and 7 April, not featuring McPartlin.

ITV is yet to confirm whether the final two episodes will continue, with it being unknown if someone will replace Ant or whether Dec will present alone.

Ant – who recently split with his wife Lisa Armstrong after 11 years of marriage – was driving with mum Christine, and dog Hurley, when he allegedly hit a green Mini, after allegedly veering into the wrong lane while coming off a roundabout, on Lower Richmond Road. He then reportedly crashed into a BMW X5, before his Mini Cooper ended up on the opposite side of the road.

The ITV star allegedly ‘failed a roadside breathalyser test and was arrested by police’ at the scene, as a three-year-old girl was taken to hospital following the crash. Ant was ‘not bailed, but has been released under investigation’ Met Police told Metro.co.uk

The Mini and pieces of another black vehicle, possibly Ant McPartlin’s Mini, which were involved in the three-vehicle collision (Picture: Wenn)

He entered rehab in June 2017 for addiction to prescription painkillers and during his stay, Ant reportedly underwent intense psychoanalysis and was not allowed contact with loved ones for the entire time – except his dog, who came to stay for a few nights.

On his return home rumours swirled that his relationship with wife Lisa Armstrong was struggling, and he then visited LA to continue rehab away from prying eyes.

It is thought he spent the Christmas period in Newcastle with his family, and in the new year he confirmed his split from Lisa after 11 years of marriage.