"‘Genuinely Sickening’: Ant & Dec Ax Podcast Promo After Backlash Over ‘Suicide’ Imagery—Fans Slam ‘Hanging Out’ Stunt as Deeply Insensitive"
What was meant to be a playful, cheeky teaser for their latest venture quickly turned into a public relations nightmare for Britain’s beloved presenting duo. Ant & Dec have been forced to pull a promotional video for their new podcast, Hanging Out With Ant and Dec, after furious fans and mental health advocates condemned the opening shot—a close-up of two pairs of shoes and trouser legs dangling in mid-air—as a deeply offensive and triggering reference to suicide.
The backlash was swift, severe, and widespread. Within hours of the post going live to their 5.9 million followers, the clip was flooded with thousands of comments calling the imagery “irresponsible,” “tone-deaf,” and “genuinely sickening”—a phrase that quickly became the rallying cry of outraged viewers.
“This isn’t clever—it’s cruel,” wrote one user, whose post was shared over 20,000 times.
“Do you have any idea how many people lose loved ones to suicide every year? This isn’t a joke.”
The Clip That Crossed the Line
The now-deleted promotional video began with a stark, silent shot: two pairs of polished brogues and neatly pressed trousers suspended above the ground, swaying slightly—as if hanging from a rope. The camera then panned up to reveal Ant and Dec grinning mischievously on a studio set, launching into their usual banter about their new podcast, which promises celebrity interviews, nostalgia, and “a proper chinwag.”
The title—Hanging Out With Ant and Dec—was clearly intended as a pun. But paired with the visual, it landed like a gut punch.
“‘Hanging out’ is fine—but showing feet dangling like that? That’s not wordplay. That’s trauma bait,” said Dr. Lena Moreau, a clinical psychologist specializing in suicide prevention. “For someone who’s lost a parent, a sibling, or struggled with suicidal thoughts themselves, that image can be retraumatizing in seconds.”
Immediate Fallout
Within three hours of posting, Ant & Dec’s team removed the video and issued a revised version—this time opening with the duo seated comfortably on a sofa, mugs in hand, no dangling limbs in sight.
A spokesperson later released a statement on their behalf:
“We are deeply sorry for the distress caused by our promotional clip. It was never our intention to cause hurt or make light of such a serious issue. We’ve listened to the feedback, removed the content immediately, and will be more mindful moving forward.”
But for many, the apology wasn’t enough.
Charities like Samaritans and Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) welcomed the removal but urged public figures to understand the weight of their imagery. “Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 in the UK,” said a CALM representative. “Jokes about hanging—even implied—trivialize a national crisis.”
A Rare Misstep for TV’s Golden Boys
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have long been hailed as the nation’s favourite entertainers—trusted, wholesome, and consistently empathetic, especially during Ant’s own well-documented struggles with addiction and mental health. Their brand has always leaned on warmth, loyalty, and good-natured humour.
Which is why this misstep stung so deeply.
“This isn’t just a PR error—it’s a betrayal of the trust they’ve built,” said media commentator Priya Mehta. “Their audience includes kids, grieving parents, people in crisis. You don’t gamble with imagery that could trigger someone’s darkest moment.”
Even loyal fans expressed disappointment. “I’ve watched them since Byker Grove,” one longtime viewer tweeted. “But this felt lazy. Like they didn’t think it through—because they didn’t have to. That’s privilege.”
The Bigger Conversation
The incident has reignited calls for stricter guidelines around mental health representation in media—and for celebrities to consult sensitivity readers before launching campaigns involving potentially harmful tropes.
As one suicide loss survivor put it:
“You wouldn’t joke about cancer by showing someone bald and vomiting. Why is suicide still fair game for puns?”
Moving Forward
Ant & Dec’s podcast still launched as scheduled on January 22nd—and early reviews suggest it’s warm, funny, and full of heart. But the controversy has left a stain on what should have been a celebratory moment.
In the end, the lesson is clear: in a world where millions carry invisible wounds, humour must never come at the cost of humanity.
And sometimes, the most powerful thing a beloved duo can do isn’t to hang out—but to listen.
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