Dermot O’Leary is planning to have dinner with Ant and Dec after they jokingly wished him a "happy retirement".
The ‘Small Fortune’ host had quipped that if the Geordie pair picked up the Best TV Presenter gong for the 18th consecutive year at the National Television Awards last week, that he would quit his job as a presenter.
They did win the gong, and during their acceptance speech via a video link, they poked fun at their pal’s lighthearted quip.
Dec said: "Special mention to Dermot who said he was going to chuck the towel in if we won this year so … happy retirement Dermot!"
Dermot – who was also up for the accolade – had said: "If they win it, having not been on television, we may as well just chuck in the towel."
Now the former ‘X Factor’ host has opened up about his banter with the ‘Saturday Night Takeaway’ stars and revealed they are going to have a catch up soon.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Series Linked TV Podcast about the ceremony, he said: "The NTAs were a lot of fun and that is a joke I have been making for the last five years.
"I texted Ant and Dec like about 20 minutes after the show.
"I just said ‘thanks for that’ and they went ‘we couldn’t resist it, lets have dinner in a couple of weeks’.
"I really enjoyed the show again this year, but it is just like herding cats trying to get everyone in there on time.
"It is a popularity contest but I like to see a 50/50 split between BBC and ITV, with a couple of Channel 4 shows winning ideally."
The 45-year-old BBC Radio 2 presenter – who is back on screens on Saturday (02.02.19) with his new ITV gameshow ‘Small Fortune’ – enjoys hosting the "fun" annual celebration of the top television shows and talent the nation has on offer, and hopes to be back in 2020.
Dermot particularly loves the pranks they pull on outspoken ‘Good Morning Britain’ host Piers Morgan – who was silenced with tape across his mouth in 2017 and claimed he’d go vegan if he won Best TV Presenter this year.
He said: "I hope so but I haven’t signed yet so I am only 50 percent of the equation.
"It is a world of fun. And Piers Morgan is the gift that keeps on giving because every year we beat up on him and if he wasnt there I would feel really bad about it!"
Dermot O’Leary laughs off Ant and Dec’s NTAs retirement joke
