Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly call for viewers to ‘keep talking’ amid the coronavirus crisis as they launch new Britain Get Talking campaign
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have called for the nation to ‘get talking’ for ITV’s mental wellness campaign during the coronavirus crisis.
The Geordie duo, both 44, announced the return of the Britain Get Talking after the latest episode of Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, and reminded viewers that it’s more important than ever to keep talking with one another.
Calling for people to stay connected with another now the pandemic has led them to remain indoors, they told fans of the show to contact their loved ones on the phone, as well as share stories with ITV on social media.
For you mental health: Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly called for viewers to ‘keep talking’ amid the coronavirus crisis as they launched new Britain Get Talking campaign on Saturday
Once again working alongside YoungMinds and Mind on the project, the campaign will also see ITV play a selection of the videos sent on the channel every day, for a month, in the hope of lifting spirits.
In the video explaining the campaign, Dec began: ‘Chances are you’ve just watched the show at home, a place we’re going to be spending a bit more time over the next few weeks.’
Ant followed up: ‘Yes, now more of us will be apart or by ourselves than ever before, and it’s going to be harder for some of us more than others.’
What to do: Calling for people to stay connected now the pandemic has led them to remain indoors, they told fans to contact loved ones on the phone, and share stories on social media
Dec went on, ‘Which is why its never been more important we keep talking, just hearing someone’s voice has been shown to reduce anxiety and distress.’
‘So, if there’s someone you can’t be with right now, pick up the phone and show that you care to the ones that need it most,’ Ant added.
Reiterating ITV’s desire to share viewer’s videos, Dec said: ‘And if you want to share a message with the nation, just post it with the hashtag ‘#BritainGetTalking’ and @ITV and we will try to broadcast as many as possible.’
Helping others: Once again working alongside YoungMinds and Mind on the project, the campaign will also see ITV play a selection of the videos sent on the channel every day
‘We have never needed each other more, so come on Britain, get talking,’ he said in conclusion.
Of looking after our mental health during the coronvirus pandemic, Clare Phillips, Director of Social Purpose for ITV said in a statement: ‘Physical isolation doesn’t have to mean social isolation.
‘Britain has never needed to connect more, and through Britain Get Talking we want to use ITV to help people feel good, talk more and establish a feeling of unity through these challenging and unprecedented times.
Worrying: In the video explaining the campaign, Ant said: ‘Now more of us will be apart or by ourselves than ever before, and it’s going to be harder for some of us more than others’
‘Hearing someone’s voice is a proven means of decreasing anxiety and stress so we want to encourage more talking and more connecting.’
The Britain Get Talking first launched in October 2019 and is part of ITV’s ongoing campaign to help the public do what they can to look after their mental health.
As a result, 2.8 million people began a conversation or had more meaningful talks with their family and friends thanks to the campaign.
You can do it: In conclusion, Dec said to viewers, ‘We have never needed each other more, so come on Britain, get talking’