Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have apologised after fierce criticism for an advert promoting their new podcast which has been labelled ‘reckless’ and ‘sickening’.
The Geordie TV duo regularly entertain the nation on Saturday nights by fronting the likes of quiz show Limitless Win, Saturday Night Takeaway and multi-evening series Britain’s Got Talent and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.
But for 2026, they’re moving into the audio space to join the podcast boom with their new offering, Hanging Out with Ant & Dec.
However, an advert shared for the podcast launch on their official X page on Friday – which has since been removed – featured the presenters pegged to a clothesline on a garden set, next to items including a soft toy, two bananas and a Newcastle United football shirt.
The opening was called ‘triggering’ and ‘deeply disappointing’ for showing only the TV stars’ feet hanging suspended in mid-air as Dec’s voice is heard asking: ‘Did you agree to this?’
It then cuts to just Ant’s feet as his voice responds: ‘No, I thought this was your idea.’
‘This is not what we meant by ‘hanging out’,’ continues Dec, as the camera then reveals him hanging on the line, pegged up by his hoodie, before Ant is seen fully too and asks for them to be helped down.
‘I’m going to be blunt because this ‘creative direction’ is genuinely sickening and deeply disappointing,’ responded X Factor star Katie Waissel underneath the post in the social platform’s comments section.
‘This opening visual of feet suspended above the ground is not a harmless ‘play on words’, it immediately reads as someone hanging, and the suicide imagery is impossible to ignore.’
Blasting the marketing concept as thoughtless and careless, she added: ‘With a platform as large as yours, there is a clear duty to act responsibly. This is entirely foreseeable harm.
‘It’s triggering, insensitive, and frankly reckless to push out as ‘entertainment’ when so many families have been devastated by suicide and self-harm.’
Others agreed and thanked former Celebrity Big Brother contestant Katie for pointing this out, with Amar asking: ‘Who in their right mind would think showing legs dangling as a start of an advertisement is a good idea?’
‘I must admit, that was the first thing I thought of when I saw the feet dangling,’ added Sharon Hopewell while James Ross agreed there was ‘subliminal messaging’ and Dave called the move ‘in poor taste’.
‘This needs to be pulled and readdressed immediately,’ added Katie. ‘You can promote a show without normalising imagery that could genuinely distress people.’
In a statement issued to Metro from Ant and Dec, the presenters apologised and confirmed the advert had been pulled.
‘We did not mean to cause any offence with this promo video and we are sorry if it has upset anyone. We have taken on board the comments and have deleted the video.’
The podcast is set to launch on January 22 through their new Belta Box brand, and in it the pair will chat about their lives and take questions and comments from listeners.
New content for their brand, including classic clips from their careers and ‘new digital formats’, will also be available across platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
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