Ant and Dec to launch new car show on BBC

Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are to launch new show Street Car Showdown on the BBC.

The Geordie duo - who have a ‘golden handcuffs deal’ contract with rival network ITV - are to celebrate their childhood love of car modification with the contest format which will pilot on BBC Two.

Ant and Dec said in a statement: “We have been fascinated with this world since we were teenagers in the North East and experienced car modders meeting up on Roker seafront in Sunderland to show off their creations.

"We came up with the format to shine a light onto the untapped world of car fanatics and highlight their passion, talent and creativity.

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"We are great admirers of the team at Studio Lambert and are thrilled to be partnering with them on this project."

Street Car Showdown will see two opposing teams compete to convert secondhand cars into racing machines, using a small budget and within a time limit of 10 days.

But the I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! hosts will not be able to appear on the show due to their contract with ITV, as presenters of a string of shows including Britain’s Got Talent and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

The show will be produced by the Ant and Dec's company Mitre Television and Studio Lambert.

Studio Lambert's chief executive, Stephen Lambert, said: “We were delighted when Mitre asked us to work with them on developing Ant & Dec's fun, adrenalin-filled idea and producing it with them.”

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The announcement comes just months after Ant was handed back his driving licence in July. The 43-year-old TV presenter was banned from driving for 15 months - reduced from 20 months - and fined £86,000 after pleading guilty to drink-driving in April 2018. Ant was found to be more than than twice the legal alcohol limit while driving his Mini in London in March 2018.

Ant was suspended from work at ITV for several months and sought rehabilitation treatement. He is now back on screens.

Ant and Dec met as teenagers in 1990 while playing PJ and Duncan in BBC children’s drama Byker Grove. They launched a pop career as PJ and Duncan, releasing the Number One single Let's Get Ready to Rhumble in 1994 and built their TV presenting career from kids TV.