'Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway' receives 29 complaints after ‘infect the human scum’ joke

Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway upset viewers after airing a sketch about humans being infected with an alien virus.

The ITV show - which usually airs live in front of a studio audience - was presented by hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly from their individual homes via videolink on Saturday (March 28) due to the government lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The episode featured several pre-recorded sketches including sci-fi parody Men In Brown, with celebrity cameos from Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood and Britain’s Got Talent’s Amanda Holden.

Read more: Ant and Dec urge others to stay home for 4-year-old cancer patient

In the skit Hollywood’s body was taken over by an alien who revealed he had the power to infect the whole world.

He laughed: “Now we have the Universal Collider we can open up portal zero-zero and give the whole world the squits."

After Holden was under the alien’s power she declared: "Infect the human scum."

Some viewers felt this was inapproriate during the current coronavirus crisis which has seen multiple deaths around the world and the population confined to their homes to prevent spreading the disease.

Broadcasting regulator Ofcom confirmed it had received a total of 29 complaints about the show, with 22 relating to the Men In Brown sketch.

The other objections from viewers related to scenes of people licking their fingers and the perceived treatment of Ant's dog Hurley.

An Ofcom spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: "We are assessing the complaints against our broadcasting rules, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.”

A previous episode of the show sparked 36 complainted for featuring a passionate kiss between a couple in the audience which some felt was inappropriate for a family show.

Read more: 'Saturday Night Takeaway' lands ratings record without studio audience

TV were forced to issue an apology after McPartlin and Donnelly wore karate outfits featuring Japan's Rising Sun flag during another episode of the show. The flag has been said to be a symbol of the country's imperialist past.

And a raunchy performance by the Pussycat Dolls on the show is also said to have prompted 67 complaints to Ofcom.