Ant and Dec strike it rich

Updated 16.50 Wed Apr 18 2007

Keywords: contract, ITV1, Ant and Dec

TV duo Ant and Dec have signed a multi-million pound deal to stay at ITV for the next two years.

The cheeky duo have been entertaining television audiences on the network since 1998, hosting a series of hit shows including Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and Ant and Dec's Gameshow Marathon.

"We have already enjoyed a long and successful relationship with ITV and are more than delighted to be extending it" - Anthony McPartlin

Their latest show, Pokerface, attracted 7.5 million viewers at the finale of the second series. The deal still allows the pair, who have just filmed a pilot for new game show Wanna Bet for US channel ABC, to work in the US.

Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, both 31, shot to fame at the age of 13 in popular children's drama Byker Grove. They will next be seen on ITV in June, hosting Simon Cowell's new show Britain's Got Talent.

Ant said: "We have already enjoyed a long and successful relationship with ITV and are more than delighted to be extending it."

Dec added: "ITV has been our home for nearly a decade and we are looking forward to continuing to make and host the shows we love as well as developing new, fresh and exciting ideas for the future."

And ITV's Director of Television Simon Shaps said: "Ant and Dec have become synonymous with ITV and they have played a huge role in making the channel the home of entertainment programming in the UK.

"I'm thrilled that we are able to extend our deal with Ant and Dec and take our exclusive partnership into its ninth year."