Ant and Dec recreated their iconic Byker Grove paintball scene during the latest episode of their podcast Hanging Out, but Ant shot down a fan's tattoo idea based on the moment. The Geordie duo, known for hosting Saturday Night Takeaway, Britain's Got Talent, and I'm A Celebrity, first rose to fame as cast members of the children's drama Byker Grove.
Fan Submits Tattoo Design
During a segment reviewing fan mail, the pair read a submission from a fan named Sarah, who asked whether Ant would get a tattoo she designed commemorating the infamous 1992 paintball eye incident. In the episode, Ant's character P.J. was shot in the eye with a paintball during an unauthorised match against rivals Denton Burn, leading to blindness. The design featured a paintball mask with yellow splatter on the eye and the phrase "He cann'it see man!" on the left side, a reference to Dec's character Duncan calling for help.
Ant Rejects Tattoo
Looking at the design, Ant appreciated the effort but politely declined. "She has tried, and it's not dog mess," he explained. "My worry is that if you're not from the UK — does it not look like a bad Storm Trooper or Darth Vader?" Dec, however, liked the splash of colour, and the pair began reminiscing about the legendary scene. Dec recalled: "Geoff comes over as [P.J.] is rolling over on the ground. He goes, 'Duncan call an ambulance' and I go 'He cann'it see!' He goes 'Go boy!' and I went — 'He cann'it see man!!'" All the while, Ant yelped out in pain, recreating the hilarious moment as the podcast crew clapped.
Behind the Scenes Details
Ant then noted: "Everyone thinks the episode ends there, but it didn't end there. Duncan ran off, ran around the corner and stood up against the wall and did one of those panting scenes!" leading to laughter from the group. The pair's recreation delighted fans, highlighting the lasting impact of the Byker Grove moment that originally aired over three decades ago.
