The Weakest Link set to RETURN after nine years with Romesh Ranganathan replacing Anne Robinson as host and celebrities competing to win money for charity
Romesh Ranganathan is set to be the face of The Weakest Link when it makes its return to TV screens later this year.
The show, which was originally hosted by Anne Robinson, 76, came to an end back in 2012 – though a special Children in Need episode was broadcast in 2017.
Now, The Sun reports that the show is set to make its return, with comedian Romesh, 43, at the helm.
Presenter: Romesh Ranganathan to step into Anne Robinson’s shoes as host of the Weakest Link with the iconic quiz show set to return later this year (pictured 2019)
The Weakest Link will return later in 2021 as a Saturday night show with one main twist – instead of members of the public competing, celebrities will be playing to earn money for charities of their choice.
Anne’s catchphrase ‘You are the weakest link…. goodbye’ will still be part of the show.
The show will begin to be shot in Glasgow, with 12 episodes initially planned for broadcast in the latter half of the year.
Speaking about his new role as presenter of The Weakest Link, Romesh said: ‘It’s an honour to be asked to bring back what is basically a TV institution to our screens.
‘Anne was an amazing host and to step into her shoes is an anxiety-inducing privilege. I’m hoping we’ve found a way to make both the fans of the show happy as well as bringing a new audience to it. If not, accept this as my apology.’
MailOnline has approached the BBC for comment.
Original host: The show, which was originally hosted by Anne Robinson, 76, came to an end back in 2011 – though a special Children in Need episode was broadcast in 2017
It comes after Anne furiously hit out at ‘woke’ culture and insisted she ‘doesn’t want her language mangled,’ after a Countdown contestant stated she couldn’t use the term ‘foreigner.’
The veteran presenter, who has taken over from Nick Hewer as the first ever female host of the Channel 4 game show, explained she doesn’t ‘want her English language mangled,’ by the removal of certain phrases that may cause offence.
Anne added that in recent years she’s learned how various terms are no longer deemed acceptable, and she’s grown ‘fed up’ with it.
Speaking to The Express, Anne explained she discovered ‘woke language’ through her chiropodist, and saw her language corrected during an encounter with a contestant on Countdown.
New format: The Weakest Link will return later in 2021 as a Saturday night show with one main twist – instead of members of the public competing, celebrities will be playing to earn money for charities of their choice
She asked him about his profession, and he explained he teaches English to ‘non-English speaking people.’
Anne then replied: ‘You mean you teach English to foreigners?’ before the contestant said: ‘We never say that.’
The former Weakest Link presenter claimed that she’s sick of being told what she’s allowed to say, stating: ‘I am fed up with it, I’m fed up with people telling me I’ve got to say ”mixed heritage” and not ”mixed race”.
‘I just think we’re being told what to do by people who aren’t in a position to tell us what to do.
‘I don’t want my language mangled – I don’t want to lose the English language. I don’t want to offend anyone but we’re well passed whether we offend people.’
Asked whether she feels The Weakest Link would be commissioned today, Anne went onto say ‘there’s a great many things that I said that you couldn’t say now.’
Historic: The presenter has taken over from Nick Hewer as the first ever female host of the Channel 4 game show (pictured with co-hosts Rachel Riley and Susie Dent)