'Is social distancing over!?' Saturday Night Takeaway viewers left confused as Cat Deeley clasps hands with Dec during the show

• An ITV representative confirmed that Cat Deeley had joined Ant and Dec's cohort prior to the show 

Viewers were left confused to Cat Deeley's lack of social distancing with Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly on Saturday Night Takeaway.

The SMTV trio reunited on the entertainment show to star in a remake of their spoof comedy Chums.

However fans were quick to take to Twitter after spotting they looked very cosy during the programme, clasping hands to greet each other.  

One wrote: 'Why is no one talking about how Cat just grabbed Dec’s hands? Is socially distancing over? #SaturdayNightTakeaway

Another said: 'Soooo you hug, kiss greet each-other. Then sit 2 metres apart...makes sense?'

A third added: 'Why is there no social distancing with Cat Deeley? #SaturdayNightTakeaway.'

The segment also showed Cat - who donned a silk pink dress - stood in between Ant and Dec as the three of them beamed the camera. 

MailOnline contacted ITV for comment, who confirmed that Cat had joined Ant and Dec's cohort ahead of the show, meaning she didn't have to social distance from them. 

The trio hosted their Saturday morning kids show from 1998 to 2003, with fans having been calling for a reunion for years.

And Saturday night saw many get their wish as the gang reunited, with Cat, 44, featuring in Ant and Dec's undercover segment, while also starring in a remake of their spoof comedy Chums.

At the beginning of the show, fans were in for a treat as Cat suddenly joined the boys, 45, on screen in a dazzling fuchsia dress.  

Meanwhile, later in the show, Cat was hilariously duped by her pals as she unwittingly appeared in their undercover segment.

The hosts donned disguises and recruited a team of helpers into tricking Cat during a promotional day for her new children's book.   

The pair hilariously photobombed the star as she posed in a photoshoot, while Ant donned a koala costume and wreaked havoc behind her as she read a story.

The prank culminated in a fire being set behind her with the sprinklers being set off, causing chaos in the studio.

Though Cat rescued the koala from the fire, thinking it was a work experience student inside, she later said in the studio that if she'd known it was Ant, she wouldn't have bothered.