ITV Saturday Night Takeaway viewers got emotional last night (February 20) when Ant McPartlin was reduced to tears during the show’s return.
Ant, 45, and presenting partner Dec, also 45, paid tribute to a retiring teacher by giving her a surprise.
And it wasn’t long before Ant’s bottom lip began to quiver during the emotional segment.
What happened with Ant and Dec on Saturday Night Takeaway?
After a hectic start to the show, Ant and Dec went over to the big video screen to show viewers Kath Crawley and her daughter Becky standing outside the studio.
The duo explained that Kath had been a teacher for 32 years at St Thomas’s primary school in Wigan.
Read more: When is Ant McPartlin getting married and has he still stopped drinking?
Bringing a shocked Kath into the studio, Ant said: “We can tell that you’re a little bit shocked because you thought you were here to an interview with ITV News.”
However, the lads wanted to give Kath – who had dedicated her working life to teaching and charity and community work – the best last year ever.
Operation Thank You Miss
They then revealed their “Operation Thank You Miss”, a film which showed them giving Kath secret acts of kindness during her final year.
Ant was crying.
And, to cap it all off, they gave her a brand-new static caravan to enjoy her retirement in, filled with gifts from her students.
With Kath in tears, it wasn’t long before Ant was also overcome by emotion.
And, once Ant’s lip started to wobble, viewers at home started to tear up, too.
Ant looked like he was gonna cry in that teacher bit which set me off 🥺 #SaturdayNightTakeaway
— Hope✨ (@F1Hopeless) February 20, 2021
#SaturdayNightTakeaway
Ant was crying ❤️— Escapeartiste (@MelliardAmanda) February 20, 2021
#SaturdayNightTakeaway bless Ant getting totes emosh. Bottom lip quivver there 🤣
Must've been so hard to not jump over and hug Mrs Crawley 🥰🥰— Aj (@Aj68235569) February 20, 2021
Ant just wants to have a big cry #SaturdayNightTakeaway
— Imo👸🏽 (@ImogenJoyx) February 20, 2021
How did fans react?
Viewers took to Twitter to share the emotion.
One viewer wrote: “Ant looked like he was gonna cry in that teacher bit which set me off.”
Read more: Saturday Night Takeaway stars Ant and Dec reveal biggest TV regret
Another said: “Bless Ant getting totes emosh.
“Bottom lip quivver there. Must’ve been so hard to not jump over and hug Mrs Crawley.”
A third commented: “Ant just wants to have a big cry.”
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