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TV duo Ant and Dec have signed a multi-million pound deal to stay at ITV for the next two years.
Reports that the pair's contract would be worth a stunning £40 million, the biggest in history, were denied by a source today.
But their deal is likely to match or even eclipse the likes of BBC star Jonathan Ross - £18 million over three years - and Simon Cowell, who was paid £20 million over three years by ITV.
The pair, whose new contract runs until the end of 2009, joined ITV in 1998 as presenters and co-creators of entertainment show SM:TV Live and music show CD:UK.
The stars, who have been signed exclusively to ITV since 2000, have been the face of hit shows like I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Ant and Dec's Gameshow Marathon and Pop Idol.
They launched Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway in 2002 and their latest show, Pokerface, attracted 7.5 million viewers at the finale of the second series.
The deal still allows the cheeky duo, who have just filmed a pilot for new game show Wanna Bet for US channel ABC, to work in the US.
The presenters, both 31, who shot to fame at the age of 13 in Byker Grove, will next be seen on ITV in June, hosting Simon Cowell's new show Britain's Got Talent.
Anthony McPartlin said: "We have already enjoyed a long and successful relationship with ITV and are more than delighted to be extending it."
Declan Donnelly 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."
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."
ITV's Director of Entertainment and Comedy Paul Jackson added: "Ant and Dec are undoubtedly the nation's favourite TV presenters with an incredible amount of talent and appeal for ITV's viewers.
"To be able to continue working with them exclusively is an absolute delight and we're looking forward to building upon existing formats and developing some exciting new ones over the next two years."
The deal is a coup for new ITV boss Michael Grade, the former BBC chairman, after the broadcaster also won the rights to show the FA Cup and England home football matches.
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my wife has been so ill recently , she has had to give her job up up to continuing ill health, tickets to your fantastic show would give her a boost, id love to see her smile again..xxxxxx
sandy stafford, gainsborough, lincolnshire
its great your show brings fun back in my life on a satadayx
emmamcdowall, doncaster, south yorkshire
Cos it's my mums 57th birthday and my dad is at twickenham watching the match all day!
scarlett walton, swindon, wiltshire
I am an English girl living in Munich in southern Germany... I only watch Ant and Dec as they cheer me up so much after having to put up with the miserable locals here... I miss England and it's my way of keeping up with civil reality...
Thanks Ant and Dec for keeping my sane... Melanie Ford xx
melanie ford, Munich, germany
tickets to your show would be really fab as we have some exams comming up for nursing and need to get stuck in to revision !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TAMMY BINGHAM, Halifax, uk
i would like to nominate my dad for your cat and mouse game i think he would be good at it and it will be a laugh watching him do it
claire shreeve, hull, england
my son's best friend moved So tickets for our show wouldreally cheer him up
marlene king, coleraine, derry, ni.ireland
please can I four tickets for your brilliant show. i love it!
Saffron Brown - age 7. Chingford, London. xxx
Alison Brown, London,
Brilliant show, everything stops in our house when you two come on even the arguing! keep up the good work lads, love to come and see a live show , well done!
A Gurnell, HULL, ENGLAND
Glad your back from Oz ok,and that you have a new series
and looking to have a enjoyable time with you and your guests
in the next few weeks .Would love to come and join you with some of my friends in your audience,thank you for the laughs you have given us all.
Bob GIACCHE', Epsom ,Surrey, United Kingdom
love the show think it is fantastic.Would love to bring some friends to see the show.
i work as a PCSO in Kettering and with the schools help we are trying do put on a show Ketterings got Talent.
We are asking all school to take part and the best from each school will be in a show in February.This is open to all ages .
this could catch on and we could do a conty or country version .What do you think.?
Angela Steele, kettering, england
My 10 year old Granddaughter Charlotte would love to see both of you, I think she'd go week at the knees, so if you could send her three tickets for herself, Mum & Dad she'd be over the moon. Or failing that if you could choose her Dad to go on the Jiggy Bank she never misses a show.
Sandra Morton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire
Hi lads. Glad that u are back on tv. Really enjoy all ur shows but its a pity that Saturdaynight take aways isn't on 4 longer. Would really luv 2b in the crowed as it would b a great laugh.
Cathy , Waterford, Ireland
HELLO BOYS, really enjoy the show love to watch you both especially Dec sorry Ant would really love you to put my husband on the jiggy as he said I would never put him forward. I would love to be a member of your audience as I join in with you each week. I have you pre-set on auto veiw on the sky settings.
Hope to hear from you soon
Karen Shaw, Macclesfield,Cheshire, England.
Karen Shaw, Macclesfield, Cheshire, England
Ant and Dec are the best, that's why the tickets are like gold dust!! They really are a modern day Morcambe and Wise with the extra X factor and some. They brighten up our Saturday nights and everything else is a let down after they've been on. Keep up the good work lads and, in the meantime, please, please can my husband and I have two tickets for the show! We will love you forever xxxxxx
Annette Coleman, Sandy, Bedfordshire
My daughter is the biggest fan of Ant and Dec, she has been since they were in Byker's Grove and as PJ & Duncan. She watches all their programmes and also tapes them so she can watch them again and again. Any articles in newspapers and magazines are avidly read and kept. She would love to come and watch the show and also would be great if she could meet Ant and Dec personally. I always thought the one where the stars bumped into the person at various times during the week and they didn't recognise them would be good for her but am sure she would recognise them straight of with any disguise but do understand that Ant and Dec's time is precious so this might be difficult. She has had to move to a new city for her career which can be lonely at times so this would just be wonderful. Please please make this possible for my daugher I love her to bits and she is the best daughter ever and really deserves something special to happen to her. Many thanks.
Karen Kerr, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
Hiya ant and dec, a want 2 nominate my friend Christie for the jiggy bank because its her 18 th birthday on that week and we will be out. She watches ant and dec every week. It will be a birthday 2 remember for her. It wil be the best birthday present ever for her. Thanks Alisha x x x
Alisha polley, Sunderland, England
my sister loves u so much she wnt even come out on a saturday no more so she can watch you she is 30 on october the 28th and i would love it if she could meet you the best present ever she has had 2 hip replacements one wen she was 21 and one last year she is the most bravest and best person you could ever meet please make her wish come true to meet you ant and dec i would just love to see her face she hides all her pain inside and would just love to give her a dream come true for her birthday.thankyou johanne lyndseys sister
johanne beson, stockton on tees, cleveland
i really want my mum (maxine) to ride the jiggy bank because she truly is the best mum in the world it would be a lovely treat and the money would help please please please let my mum ride the jiggy bank.
from madeleine (12):)
madeleine, Stevenage, united kingdom
my boyfriend daves one in a million & although we,ve both had really bad experiences in the past we,ve moved on together.with 5 children between us & one on the way it,d be great to get revenge just once as he,s always playing jokes on me.i,d love to see him on the jiggy bank....
many thanks sharon waton,carlisle,cumbria
sharon watson, carlisle cumbria,
My daughter Sophie would love to be in the audience on Saturday night takeaway as she has Cerebal palsy I would have to go with her. Of course I would also have to kiss A nt and Dec if the situation arose as I do most things for Sophie This of course I would have to do twice ....... once for Sophie and once for myself I am prepared to do this on national T.V. for the love of my daughter PLEASECAN WE HAVE SOME TICKETS.
p.s, dont tell sophie as she will want to kiss the boys herself and Im going to make the uttimate sarcrafice!!!!!!
Geraldine Mustafa, chingford, london
I love Ant and Dec,they are two cuties!They are the best thing since sliced bread particularly Dec, Iam a geordie fan too like the lads so i clicked instantly with them.Long may they be on our tv"s telly wouldnt be the same without them.They never fail to make me laugh and they are like a good wine get better with age!
Debbie, Rotherham, England
My husband Don and I work long hours we don't go out at all, we could do with a break, two tickets to ant and dec's show will give us a break to remember.
Rachel, Bristol,
Brilliant show, my 8 year old loves the jiggy bank and the ad's game at the end.
Love to go and watch live.
Beverley Hillman, Orpington Kent,
i would love my wife too have a go at jiggy bank,she woulb be mortified just at the thaught of going on telly id love too see her face
ian porteous, redcar, cleveland
At last something decent on a saturday night.Can i have a couple of tickets please.
Susan Wheatley, Dagenham, Essex