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Ant and Dec joke they'll sue each other over I'm a Celeb theme's likeness to their 1990s song

On their podcast, Ant and Dec heard a fan's claim that the I'm a Celebrity theme's drum intro matches their PJ & Duncan track "Tonight I'm Free (Cool Mix)", and joked about suing each other. Both outlets note the drum sound may trace to Earth, Wind & Fire's "Africano".

2 outlets · 1L · 0C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: The Independent
Image: Daily Mail

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The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly joked that they might have to sue each other after hearing that the I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! theme tune resembles their own 1990s track. Mixed · 2The discovery came on the Hanging Out With Ant & Dec podcast, where a fan's letter said the show's drum-beat intro was a sample from "Tonight I'm Free (Cool Mix)" by PJ & Duncan, the pair's pop alter egos. Mixed · 2After playing the track, both were stunned by the similarity; Donnelly said "someone is getting sued" and McPartlin replied that he would countersue "so we both win".

Mixed · 2The outlets differ on the song's date: the Independent says it was released in 1993 and that the "Cool Mix" remix appeared on the 1994 single "Why Me?", while the Daily Mail calls it a 1993 track. Mixed · 2The theme was composed by Grant Buckerfield, whom the Independent says used samples of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Africano" (1975) and Boom Crash Opera's "Get Out Of The House!" (1989); the Daily Mail says Buckerfield wrote it in 2002. Right · 1The Daily Mail reports that commenters on an Instagram post said the original drum sample is from "Africano", suggesting it may date back further than the 1990s.

Mixed · 2Ant and Dec first appeared as PJ & Duncan in Byker Grove, which led to a pop career including "Let's Get Ready to Rhumble"; they have hosted I'm a Celebrity since it launched. Left · 1The Independent adds that the duo return to Australia next month for the 26th series, with Wayne Rooney, Ricky Wilson, AJ Odudu and Christopher Dean among those reported to be in the running, while ITV faces pressure from the BBC's The Celebrity Traitors.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left1 outlet

Framing
Light entertainment piece led by the hosts' reaction, with background on the theme's known samples and the coming series.
Emphasis
Theme's documented samples, the 2026 series and celebrity line-up, ITV versus BBC's Celebrity Traitors.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention fan comments pointing to Africano as the drum source of the PJ & Duncan track.
Charged language
“left stunned”
For example
“‘Someone is getting sued,’ hosts declared after fan highlighted similarities with 1990s song” — The Independent

Centre0 outlets

No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Right1 outlet

Framing
Playful, quote-heavy account of the hosts' reaction, with fan comments questioning the sample's origin.
Emphasis
Hosts' reactions and quotes, and social media comments tracing the sample to Earth, Wind & Fire.
Leaves out or plays down
Omits the series' upcoming line-up and ITV context, and the theme's other sample.
Charged language
“gobsmacked”“utterly gobsmacked”
For example
“Ant and Dec joke they're going to sue each other as they're left gobsmacked by discovering I'm A Celeb theme tune uses a sample of a 1993 PJ and Duncan track” — Daily Mail