Yahoo News Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway hit with complaints over baby prank
Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has received over 100 complaints
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway has been hit with complaints over a segment that saw a prank being played on a dad-to-be.
The prank saw the hosts secretly playing a long-running trick on a man named Liam in the months leading up to his son Finley's birth.
The joke, which the stars pulled off along with Liam's partner Amy, included scenes that showed the first time dad at a baby scan being fooled into thinking his baby was waving at him and dancing on screen.
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However, while many viewers were tickled, Ofcom has now confirmed that 111 people complained about the episode.
And the broadcasting watchdog confirmed to Yahoo that the complaints related to the prank.
The trick saw Liam wearing a fake baby bump at an antenatal class and dressing as a huge teddy bear for a photoshoot.
He was also fooled into cuddling a loaf of bread while his picture was taken, under the impression that his baby boy's image would be added later.
During the pretend 4D scan, he believed his unborn baby was waving, bopping along to music and making a rock sign at him.
He looked thrilled as Ant and Dec giggled: "Isn't even his baby."
However, some fans labelled the stunt "cruel" and thought it was a "bit mean".
"The scan part was not funny," said another viewer.
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"I wasn’t offended but a scan should be memorable for hopefully good and happy reasons. It was lucky that he took it in good humour but I found it uncomfortable viewing."
Yahoo has contacted ITV for comment.
