A CONTROVERSIAL meme calling for Declan Donnelly to form a new double act with Paul Chuckle has been badly received on Twitter.
The gag follows the tragic passing of 73-year-old entertainer Barry Chuckle, following a long battle with illness, leaving his comedy partner and brother Paul Chuckle mourning his loss.
It also came as Ant McPartlin, one half of a formidable double act alongside Donnelly, announced he would not be presenting I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! In 2018.
Evidently eager to inject some humour into proceedings, a meme surfaced on Twitter featuring Dec and Paul together as a newly-formed double act.
"Problem solved" the caption reads, with the creator making light of both Barry's death and Ant's ongoing personal issues.
The meme isn't the first time this team-up has been suggested either, with several users taking to Twitter to suggest the very same thing in the wake of this week's news.
Unfortunately, not everyone has been able to see the funny side, with The Mirror the first to report on the growing level of discontent among Twitter users unhappy that such a sad situation has become a source for comedy.
"Chuckle brothers are irreplaceable and Ant and Dec are irreplaceable. Dec will always have Ant. They are best friends," they wrote.
"And you do have to remember someone died here"
Beg to differ!!!! Chuckle brothers are irreplaceable and Ant and Dec are irreplaceable. Dec will always have Ant. They are best friends. And you do have to remember someone died here
— ❤️ShaunnahA&D❤️ (@AandDforever12) August 8, 2018
"None of that's funny," they added. "Do we have to remind people that someone died here. Both chuckle brothers are irreplaceable and Ant and Dec are irreplaceable"
None of that’s funny. Do we have to remind people that someone died here. Both chuckle brothers are irreplaceable and Ant and Dec are irreplaceable
— ❤️ShaunnahA&D❤️ (@AandDforever12) August 7, 2018
One user even went as far as to brand the creator of the meme as "sick".
"Paul is going through a hard time because he lost his brother, his best friend and the other half of the Chuckle brothers double act."
McPartlin is expected to return to television in 2019 while Paul Chuckle's brother Barry has vowed to continue working in show business, as per his brother's wishes.