Entertainment

Minions helping solo Dec out ahead of Takeaway’s Florida finale

The Despicable Me creatures joined the host who will also have Scarlett Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern on call in Ant McPartlin’s absence.
The Despicable Me creatures joined the host who will also have Scarlett Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern on call in Ant McPartlin’s absence. The Despicable Me creatures joined the host who will also have Scarlett Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern on call in Ant McPartlin’s absence.

Declan Donnelly has teamed up with a group of minions ahead of the series finale of Saturday Night Takeaway.

The presenter is gearing up to host the show live from Universal Orlando Resort in Florida without regular partner Ant McPartlin.

But he was joined by support presenters Scarlett Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern as filming took place at the park for Saturday night’s show.

The trio were snapped alongside a number of minions, characters from the popular Despicable Me franchise.

Declan Donnelly with Scarlett Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern (ITV/PA)
Declan Donnelly with Scarlett Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern (ITV/PA) Declan Donnelly with Scarlett Moffatt and Stephen Mulhern (ITV/PA)

The live show will see Dec, Moffatt and Mulhern joined by R&B star Jason Derulo, US actress Denise Richards, singer Craig David and pop duo The Rembrandts.

Derulo and The Rembrandts will be performing while former Bond girl Richards will act as the guest announcer, and David has been recruited as Takeaway’s guest DJ for the episode.

In the audience will be more than 200 winners from across the UK who were flown out to Orlando by ITV in a specially chartered Virgin flight.

Last weekend Dec made his solo TV presenting debut after McPartlin stepped away from commitments when he was charged drink-driving earlier this month.

The TV presenter, who has been a part of duo Ant and Dec for nearly 30 years, was due to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with the offence.

But the hearing was adjourned to April 16, a spokeswoman for the court said.

McPartlin was charged by postal requisition on March 21 after allegedly being involved in a collision with two other cars while he was driving his Mini in Richmond, west London, on March 18.

Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, which is now in its 15th series, has been nominated for best entertainment show at the TV Baftas.

The finale airs on Saturday at 7pm on ITV.