Ant and Dec’s first TV presenting job was on a Saturday morning CITV show (Picture: Instagram)
Ant and Dec marked the ‘end of an era’ as CITV was taken off the airwaves after four decades in a streaming shake-up.
The I’m A Celebrity presenters are among a host of broadcasters, including Holly Willoughby, Fearne Cotton and Stephen Mulhearn, whose careers were launched by the children’s channel.
After starring on Byker Grove, the Geordie duo secured their first gig presenting on CITV’s Saturday morning show called Gimme 5, before later working on youth programming on the main broadcaster such as SMTV Live and CD:UK with Cat Deeley.
On Saturday (September 2), the day after the channel closed forever, Ant and Dec, both 47, shared a throwback snap of their early presenting career on kids’ and youth TV with Cat, 46.
Along with a crying emoji, the Saturday Night Takeaway hosts captioned the Instagram Story: ‘End of an era.’
CITV first launched in January 1983, initially as a late afternoon programming block for children aged 5-13, before becoming its own channel in 2006.
CITV launched the careers of presenters including Holly and Stephen(Picture: REX/Shutterstock)
CITV was first launched in 1983 as a block before becoming a channel in 2006 (Picture: Carlton Television)
It has kept younger viewers entertained over the decades with such shows as Horrid Henry, My Parents Are Aliens, Funhouse, Rainbow, Rosie and Jim, Danger Mouse and Art Attack.
CITV has gone off air as part of ITV’s plans to move all programming to streaming platform ITVX, which launched months ago.
Programmes for school age and preschool age children are now being shown on its ITVX Kids strand, with the new service being rolled out over the summer holidays ahead of the channel’s closure.
Art Attack is among the shows launched by CITV(Picture: CITV)
Ant and Dec reminisced about their early career with Cat (Picture: Instagram)
The network said in a press release earlier this year: ‘ITVX Kids is part of ITV’s continuing drive to supercharge its presence in streaming, delivering content to audiences however they want to watch it.’
On the new plans, managing editor of ITVX, Craig Morris said: ‘We’re really excited to launch this dedicated destination for kids on ITVX, which will be home to a wealth of content including new series, recognisable brands and existing favourites for a range of ages, all in one child-safe area, with editorial curation to guide viewing.
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‘The wealth of content will be available to stream for free, with the option for parents to choose ad free viewing, through a subscription to ITVX Premium.’
ITVX Kids will be home to both new launches and highly-recognisable children’s programmes, including the animated series of Mr Bean, TeleTubbies Let’s Go!, Sooty and Bob The Builder.
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CITV was first launched as a programming block in the 80s.