Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have shared a first look at their new podcast, Hanging Out with Ant & Dec, following fierce backlash to their previous promotion for the project.
The original advert – which featured the presenters pegged to a clothesline on a garden set – was called ‘incredibly damaging’ by Mind, one of the leading charities in the UK offering support to people struggling with their mental health.
The opening was called ‘triggering’ and ‘deeply disappointing’ on social media for evoking what many considered to be suicide-related imagery by showing the star’s feet dangling in the air.
The pair apologised for unintentionally causing offence and removed the advert.
Now, they’ve gone for a more intimate, DIY-style promo, posting a video on Instagram that gives viewers a tour of their new podcast studio.
In the clip, the TV icons show off the memorabilia on the shelves in the studio, including helmets from Ant vs. Dec, a Taste Mates mug, and what Ant jokingly calls his ‘favourite item,’ a ceramic banana holder ‘made of bananas.’
Dec then holds up ‘the actual mask from PJ and Duncan’ before quickly correcting that it’s a replica.
They go on to show off their ‘On Air’ studio light, framed shirts that they joke they wore in the Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble music video, as well as an ‘original Cheese Bag t-shirt.’
They end the new promo by inviting fans to ‘come and hang out’ when the podcast premieres on January 22.
It’s certainly receiving a better response from fans than the previous ad, with one commenting on Instagram: ‘Cant wait to listen and hopefully watch on youtube xx’
Another commented, ‘So excited for this!!’ while a third chimed in, ‘Yessss finallyyyyyy!’
It’s hard to imagine anyone getting upset at the simple promo, which was certainly intentional given the controversy caused by the previous advert.
The now-removed advert opens on 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 also revealed.
Following the backlash, a statement issued to Metro from Ant and Dec said: ‘We did not mean to cause any offence with this promo video, and we are sorry if it has upset anyone,’ they said. ‘We have taken on board the comments and have deleted the video.’
Mind, which provides vital services and resources and campaigns for improved mental health policies, issued a further statement on the matter.
Rehema Figueiredo, Head of Media at Mind, told Metro: ‘We appreciate that Ant and Dec have apologised and removed this content, but this situation shows that progress is still needed on responsible depictions of suicide.
‘Imagery that suggests or shows suicide or self-harm can be incredibly damaging for those of us who have experienced suicidal thoughts, self-harm, or who have lost someone to suicide.
‘Too often, we see the mark missed when it comes to language or imagery linked to suicide. Mind has guidance for advertisers, producers, and writers on how best to tackle these difficult topics, as our recent research showed that in 2024, public attitudes towards mental health fell below where they were 15 years ago.
‘The importance of accurate, responsible mental health depictions cannot be understated.’
Need support for your mental health?
You can contact mental health charity Mind on 0300 123 3393 or text them on 86463.
Mind can also be reached by email at info@mind.org.uk.
You can find out more information about them on their website
Indeed, Mind’s website features advice on talking about mental health.
This includes being wary of the implications of certain language choices, avoiding references to specific suicide methods, and remembering that everyone’s experiences with mental health are different.
Mind’s comment comes after X Factor star Katie Waissel also made it very clear how she felt about the ad, saying, in part: ‘This needs to be pulled and readdressed immediately,’ added Katie. ‘You can promote a show without normalising imagery that could genuinely distress people.’
Despite a rocky start, it seems Ant and Dec are back on track with their newest audio venture, though only time will tell whether the podcast itself will flop as badly as its first advert.
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