Ant and Dec have claimed they nearly left ITV ‘bankrupt’ after lucky contestants on their gameshow Limitless Win won £1million, the biggest prize in the show’s history.

The hosts joked that there were ‘a lot of accountants around the studio looking even greyer than normal’ when a pair competing on the new series climbed the Limitless Ladder to earn the seven-figure sum.

Limitless Win sees pairs answer questions in exchange for lives before taking on a money ladder that never ends, giving them the chance to win the biggest jackpot on TV.

And I’m A Celeb presenters Ant and Dec say the show’s third season sees contestants bring their A game and win big, to the thrill of the duo, who couldn’t hold back their excitement during filming.

Dec revealed that the most shocking point of the series was witnessing Ant jump on to the desk and nearly break it, a moment that got the host in hot water with bosses.

When asked if they were any closer to bankrupting ITV, Ant replied: ‘In a word… yes.

‘We’ve had more people climb up the ladder than ever before and this series sees the biggest win in the show’s history. Can I say that?’

Dec added: ‘I think you just did. There were a lot of accountants around the studio looking even greyer than normal.’

Since the launch of Ant and Dec’s gameshow in 2022, Limitless Win has seen contestants bank big money, with Katherine and Will from series one earning a life-changing £500,000 during their episode.

But the upcoming series sees a couple double the current record, ending their appearance by winning £1million.

Excitement among the contestants and live studio audience was shared by the hosts, with Ant admitting he got in trouble for jumping on the desks during one of the games.

Dec said: ‘Oh, absolutely, we get so carried away. We’re just so invested in every couple that play the game. You can’t help but become emotional for them during each game.’

Ant added: ‘In fact, I actually jumped on the desk this series’ before Dec interjected: ‘You got told off for that didn’t you… All will be revealed. But you did nearly break the desk.’

Ant and Dec, who also present I’m A Celeb and Britain’s Got Talent, return to Limitless Win in January for the third series.

And like everything the TV duo touches, Limitless Win has proven to be popular with audiences, ranking in the top 10 entertainment series across all channels and programmes, with the second season drawing an average of 4million viewers.

The pair have teased that the third instalment of the Saturday night show will be better than ever because the contestants were ‘more prepared’, leading to big money wins.

Ant & Dec’s Limitless Win will return to ITV1 and ITVX on 6th January at 8:30pm