The Weakest Link on BBC One: Romesh Ranganathan to return for new series as start date is revealed
Kim Bond | 4:21pm Fri 19 Sep | Updated 4:27pm Fri 19 SepThe Weakest Link is returning to the BBC for a new series – and you can also expect some celebrity specials to boot.
The iconic quiz show, which is hosted by Romesh Ranganathan, will see brand new contestants competing against each other to win cash.
Only one player can take home the money after eliminating their fellow ‘weakest’ contestants.
Romesh has been hosting The Weakest Link since it was revived in 2021. He promises more exciting episodes to come as the weather gets colder.
“The Weakest Link is back and better than ever with three superb specials airing next month and more from Christmas,” he said. “I’m not biased when I say it’s a brilliant show, and I’m looking forward to bringing more awkward pauses and tense goodbyes to Saturday nights on BBC One.”
With nine new episodes, with an additional three celebrity specials, there will be plenty for quiz fans to sink their teeth into. Here, we take a look at the new series of The Weakest Link, including who will be starring in the specials.
How does The Weakest Link work?
For the uninitiated, The Weakest Link sees eight contestants answer a series of general knowledge questions. For every correct answer, they earn cash. Each correct answer means a higher amount of money for the prize pot.
However, if a contestant gets the answer wrong, they lose any cash that has been accumulated and the team has to start again from scratch. Money only goes into the kitty if a contestant shouts ‘bank’ before answering their question.
At the end of each round, contestants have to vote off who they think is ‘the weakest link’. This is the person they believe has answered the most questions incorrectly. The person with the most votes is eliminated.
Romesh will utter the phrase made famous by his predecessor Anne Robinson: “You are the weakest link, goodbye.”
After several rounds, the final two contestants go head-to-head to answer the most questions correctly. Whoever gets the most right can take home all the cash accumulated in the game.
Who is the Weakest Link host Romesh Ranganathan?
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan, 47, has presented The Weakest Link since it returned to screens in 2021.
Romesh is best known for his comedy. But he his career path started very differently. He actually worked as a maths teacher in two senior schools while performing comedy on the side. Eventually, he decided to quit teaching for good and become a full-time comedian.
Romesh’s big career break came alongside Rachel Riley and Ben Miller on ITV’s It’s Not Rocket Science. He went on to appear on Live at the Apollo and has fronted his own stand-up shows.
Fans will know him for his own entertainment programmes, too. These include Romesh: Talking to Comedians, The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan and Judge Romesh, to name a few. Romesh has featured on Sky’s sports quiz A League of Their Own, as well as guest presented on BBC’s Have I Got News For You.
Romesh has penned a series of books and co-hosted the BAFTA television awards twice, in 2023 and 2024, alongside fellow comic Rob Beckett. They were replaced this year by star of The Traitors US, Alex Cumming.
The Weakest Link: Radio 2 special
The Weakest Link will be returning with a BBC Radio 2 special. Romesh will be joined by some of the biggest names in broadcasting as they battle to become The Strongest Link. They are also aiming to win £50,000 for charity.
The celebrities taking part have been confirmed as Scott Mills, Rylan Clark, Zoe Ball, Tony Blackburn, Jo Whiley, Trevor Nelson, Michael Ball and Sally ‘Traffic’ Boazman.
Another of the specials will see the return of previous ‘weakest link’ celebrities. Stars who have appeared on the BBC show before – and who were kicked off before the end – will go head-to-head in a game.
There will also be a Battle of the Nations episode. Celebrities from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will be playing for their national pride.
When does the new series of The Weakest Link start?
The BBC has confirmed the three specials of The Weakest Link will air in October. The Radio 2 special will kick things off on October 4, 2025.
There will be a further nine ‘civilian’ episodes in the series, along with a Christmas special and a New Year’s party.
What is Anne Robinson doing now?
Anne Robinson is the original host of The Weakest Link. She presented the quiz from 2000 to 2012 and was known for her acerbic manner.
She has also hosted on BBC’s Watchdog, as well as Britain’s Spending Secrets. More recently, she hosted Channel 4’s Countdown. The 80-year-old joined the show in 2021 and quit in 2023.
