However, Good Morning Britain’s showbiz correspondent Richard Arnold confirmed he will reunite with co-host Declan Donnelly at filming tomorrow.
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Ant and Dec
PA Archive/PA Images
Speaking on the ITV breakfast show, Richard said: “I can officially announce that after a year off Ant will start filming on the new series of BGT.
“Can you believe it has come around again? How the time flies. They’re reuniting on Friday for the auditions.”
Auditions then continue on Sunday, with subsequent sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The dates also throw into doubt the pair’s attendance at Tuesday’s National Television Awards, where they are nominated for Best Presenter – an award they have won for the past 17 consecutive years.
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Ant and Dec always clean up at the NTAs
Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment
They face competition in the category from Holly Willoughby, who stepped in to host last year’s ‘I’m A Celebrity’ alongside Dec.
Ant made his last live TV appearance in March last year on ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’, and stepped down from his TV commitments to enter treatment mid-way through the run.
However, he later appeared on pre-recorded episodes of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ auditions, the last of which aired on 26 May.
Dec went on to present the ‘BGT’ live shows by himself, as he had done with the last two episodes in the series of ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’.
Ant and Dec Through The Years
(01 of17)
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Ant and Dec, aka PJ and Duncan, in 1994. (Photo credit: Getty)
(02 of17)
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British pop duo PJ and Duncan instore at HMV in 1994. (Photo credit: PA)
(03 of17)
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Ant and Dec, aka PJ and Duncan, in 1994. (Photo credit: PA/Jez C Self/EMPICS Entertainment)
(04 of17)
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Ant and Dec larking about with Sesame Street puppets Bert and Ernie in 1996. (Photo credit: PA)
(05 of17)
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Pop duo PJ & Duncan in the studio in 1996 (Photo credit: PA)
(06 of17)
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PJ and Duncan in concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1996. (Photo credit: PA)
(07 of17)
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Ant and Dec celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Byker Grove with fellow stars in 1998. (Photo credit: Rex Features)
(08 of17)
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Ant and Dec with Cat Deeley in 1998, co-hosts of SMTV://Live. (Photo credit: PA)
(09 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin (left), and Declan Donnelly, Ant & Dec, with their Most Popular entertainment Presenter awards at the National Television Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 2002. (Photo credit: PA)
(10 of17)
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Pop Idol presenters Anthony McPartlin (left) and Declan Donnelly (right) celebrate with Will Young from Hungerford, Berkshire, at the Fountain Studios in London, after he was voted Britain's Pop Idol in 2002. (Photo credit: PA)
(11 of17)
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Pop Idol judges (from left) Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman, Nicki Chapman and Neil Fox, pose with show hosts Ant and Dec (Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly) during a press conference at Thames TV in London, to launch a new series of Pop Idol in 2003. (Photo credit: PA)
(12 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly pose with the awards for Best Comedy Entertainment Personality and Best Comedy Entertainment Programme for Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway in the Awards Room at the 'British Comedy Awards 2004' on December 22, 2004 at London Television Studios in London. (Photo credit: Claire Greenway/Getty Images)
(13 of17)
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Ant and Dec as The Ugly Sisters in Madame Tussauds Celebrity Pantomime in 2005. (Photo credit: PA)
(14 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin (left) and Declan Donnelly (right) with the Entertainment Performance award received for I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! at the BAFTA television awards at the London Palladium in 2010. (Photo credit: PA)
(15 of17)
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Ant and Dec take part in the 'I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!' Bush Tucker Trial 'Greasy Spoon', in November 2011. (Photo credit: Rex Features)
(16 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin (left) and Declan Donnelly arriving for the 2012 NTA Awards at the O2, Greenwich, London. (Photo credit: PA)
(17 of17)
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Anthony McPartlin (left) and Declan Donnelly with their awards for Entertainment Presenter, backstage at the National Television Awards 2012 at the Greenwich Arena London. (Photo credit: PA)