The Weakest Link - About

Presented by Anne Robinson, The Weakest Link is an interesting concept in quiz shows in that it detracts from the friendly, consolation-prize based culture that has been around for many years.

Although the object of the game remains the same, the structure of the show varies depending on the station broadcasting it, so here is a rundown on some of the differences.

Play begins with 3 minutes on the clock and the contestant who's name is first alphabetically. Moving clockwise round the arc, asking a question to each player, the idea is for the team to amass as much money as possible by correctly answering questions to move up the money chain and banking at the right time.

The money chain comprises staggered levels of money, where answering a question correctly moves the team up one level. If a player answers their question incorrectly, the chain is broken and all the money in the chain is lost. Only money that is banked within the time limit can be taken forward to the next round.

In order to bank money for the team, a player must say "Bank" before their question is asked. If this happens, they start a new chain from scratch. The round stops if the team reach the top of the chain, or bank the maximum available to them in that round.

After each round, the players must "Vote off the weakest link". The object here is to eliminate the team member they would be better off without. There are a number of criteria can be weighed up when deciding who to vote off.

The most common reason is that someone is weak when it comes to answering questions, and the team is losing money because of this. They may be getting answers wrong or too slow.

If someone is too strong, they may also find themselves voted off as the other players could see them as a threat to them winning the money. This sometimes happens towards the end of the game when two weaker players gang up on the team member that is stronger.

There is an array of other reasons why people choose to vote for particular team members. These can include personality, what they are wearing or their occupation. Whilst voting takes place, the viewing audience are given some information about how the contestants performed in that round by a voice-over.

Voting takes place with each team member writing the name of the person they want out on a wipe-clean board (BBC2) or a digital pencil thing (BBC1 & NBC). Starting with the first player on the left, and going round the arc, the team reveal who they have voted for by turning their board or pressing a button. The player with the most votes is the weakest link.

The next part of the show takes the form of a question and answer session between Anne Robinson and various contestants designed primarily to humiliate members of the team.

After this is completed, attention turns to the player that has been voted the weakest link. In the event of a tie, the person to be eliminated is the decision of the player known as "The Strongest Link". The identity of this contestant is decided by working out who was the person with the highest proportion of correct answers and if level, the highest amount of money personally banked. They must choose from the contestants that have tied with the largest number of votes, and they have the option to change their mind if they have voted for someone who has also tied for the status of "The Weakest Link".

Once the player to be voted off has been chosen, Anne Robinson converses with them, and may say a number of things relating to their work, appearance, quizzing ability, age, etc. before delivering the most famous line of the show: "You are The Weakest Link, Goodbye."

The next part of the program is known as "The Walk of Shame", which simply involves the person walking off the set and being looked down on by the other players. There is also a post-contest interview for the player concerned where they say a number of things. This will normally involve how they think they have performed, if they think their ex-team mates were unfair, who they think should be voted off next and who they think will win.

Play continues in this format of a round of questions, followed by voting, followed by elimination until there are two contestants left. At this point in the show, a further round lasting 90 seconds takes place featuring the two remaining players and is the last opportunity for the team to bank money. The BBC2 contestants treble whatever they bank, whereas the BBC1 version has a normal round.

Once the rounds have been completed there is obviously no point in voting when there are two contestants left, so a playoff ensues to decide the winner of the final prize money.

The head-to-head contest involves alternate questions to each player on a best-of-five basis identical to that of a penalty shoot-out in football. The winner is the player who gets the most correct answers or the first to put themselves in a position where they cannot be beaten. There is no time limit on the questions and, as in the normal part of the game, only first answers can be accepted.

In the event of a tie after 10 questions in this final stage of the show, questions continue on a sudden-death basis. The winner takes the final amount of money that has been banked. The defeated contestant is delivered the line "(Name), you leave with nothing."