Wall sketch seemed familiar...

Ant and Dec have been accused of ripping off an old Cannon and Ball routine on Saturday Night Takeaway.

On this weekend's edition of the prime-time ITV show, the Geordie duo joined Jess Glynne to sing her chart-topping hit Hold My Hand.

They sat on top of a wall, with the two presenters battling for position alongside the singer – eventually pushing her backwards off her perch.

But viewers with long memories have drawn comparisons with a 34-year-old Tommy Cannon And Bobby Ball sketch.

On the Cannon and Ball Show in 1982, the comedy duo sang with Iris Williams, and again bickering for position alongside her on a wall, until she was toppled.

See for yourself with Ant and Dec's routine:

And Cannon and Ball's, which also aired on ITV:

Among the eagle-eyed viewers were Howard Marbles, who tweeted: 'Shame Ant & Dec can't find original routines instead of ripping of Cannon Ball's famous Wall Routine!!'

Another viewer, Jason Rhodes, pointed out that Cannon and Ball also performed the sketch on Summertime Special in 1988 with Lulu:

Though clearly a joke, Ant and Dec's Jess Glynne scene was apparently taken seriously by the red-tops, with The Mirror reporting that the duo 'ruined' her performance, and The Sun calling her plunge a 'mishap'.

ITV said they had no comment on the plagiarism claims, and Cannon and Ball's agent has not replied to a request for comment.

Published: 7 Mar 2016