Kids’ TV nostalgia: SMTV Live is back, with Ant, Dec, and Cat Deeley to return for one-off special

Iconic scenes.

Picture the scene: it's 1999. It's Saturday morning. You're milling into a sausage sandwich or maybe a bowl of Sugar Puffs. Your da is panicking over the Millennium Bug. Your mam's smoking indoors because that was still a thing. Bertie Ahern is Taoiseach. SMTV Live is on the telly and you can't decide who you fancy more: Ant, Dec, or Cat Deeley. It doesn't matter - you're enjoying yourself, and that's the main thing. Fast forward 20 or so years and the world is a significantly bleaker place. There's a virus wiping out thousands of people across the globe. Donald Trump is president. McDonald's still haven't reintroduced twisty fries to their menu. The only saving grace is that SMTV Live is coming back to our screens. Albeit for a one-off special, but listen, we'll take what we can get. The Scottish Sun reports that Ant, Dec, and Cat will be back for a kids' TV special later this year to mark the lads' 30 years in showbiz. “SMTV was such a huge part of Ant and Dec’s career they knew they wanted to mark it in some way," said a source. "The show will look back on some of the best moments and see old guests reminisce.” SMTV Live ran for over 200 episodes between 1998 and 2003. There were initially plans to revive the series in 2017 for a 20th anniversary special, but the idea was later scrapped by ITV. Ant and Dec presented the show during its prime until hosting duties were taken over by Steps' Ian “H” Watkins and Claire Richards. Ant and Dec have yet to comment on the reunion, meaning that it very well may not happen at all but sure look, we can only hope. This comes after ITV confirmed that the duo will return for this year's instalment of I'm A Celeb, but that the series will be shot in an abandoned castle in the British countryside due to Covid-19 restrictions. The one-off SMTV Live special is expected to air later this year.