Saturday Night Takeaway Florida finale cancelled amid coronavirus outbreak

The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has forced the cancellation of Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway finale in Florida.

As has become tradition in recent series, Ant and Dec were set to see out the season in style, live from a unique location abroad.

For 2020, Saturday Night Takeaway was due to hold its series final in Walt Disney World Florida with over 300 guests.

However the ongoing threat of coronavirus has forced the trip to be cancelled – with the park currently closed to guests until at the least the end of March.

In tonight’s latest live episode, Ant and Dec announced: “Nothing is more important than people’s health and unfortunately that means we won’t be able to bring our live final from Florida.

“However Walt Disney World and Virgin Holidays have said that everyone who has been offered a place on the plane will be able to fly out at a later date.

“Even better, they’ve said we can still give out more places so we’re going to do just that and put a smile back on people’s faces.”

A spokesperson for ITV said: “We will no longer be broadcasting the Saturday Night Takeaway finale from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Walt Disney World has made the decision to close, beginning on Monday 16 March until the end of the month.

““The wellbeing of all our prize winners, as well as our production team, is always our number one priority.

“All recipients of a ‘Place on the Plane’ prize will have their prizes honoured and flown by Virgin Holidays for a 5-night stay at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida at such later date when it is practical for Virgin Holidays and Walt Disney World Resort to fulfil the prize.”

For now, Saturday Night Takeaway continues on ITV on Saturday nights from the UK with a live studio audience.

ITV said: “All of our audience handling agencies are sharing the updated advice from the NHS site with audiences prior to attending our shows and we continue to work them to update advice as and when it changes.

“Our priority is the well-being and safety of all our people and everyone who works with us on our shows and across our business.”

Episodes begin at 7PM with this week’s guests including Joanna Lumley and JLS.

You can watch episodes online and catch up with the ITV Hub.

Meanwhile it’s been claimed that Eurovision bosses are also making alternative arrangements should coronavirus threaten the contest.

It’s also been claimed that Love Island’s summer series could be at risk.