26 thoughts on “Breaking: Robinson to leave Weakest Link next year, will not be replaced

  1. Travis P

    Surely this would be the ideal time for 2012 to have Pointless being promoted to BBC 1?

    Reply
    1. kylie

      I doubt it, Danny Cohen has recently said on Radio 5 live that he thinks Blue Peter and other CBBC shows are airing to early. I think they’ll push CBBC back to it’s old finishing time of 5.30/5.35.
      Considering how tight budgets are now they may just repeat their soap Doctor’s at 5.30.
      There really isn’t that much money to develop new shows for that slot. The weakest link was dirt cheap to make. They used to only air 3 new episode a week and the summer months were entirely repeats.
      Thats why I think they’ll give the slot to Doctor’s unfortunately

      Reply
  2. Brig Bother Post author

    Well what I would say is: it’s the only show I’ve ever bothered applying for and got on, I had a great time but Robinson was the draw. Admittedly this was about ten years ago when the show was in the ascendancy.

    I can’t say I’ve watched it for years.

    Reply
    1. Travis P

      The show has been in a ratings crisis in recent weeks. Even when The Chase isn’t airing, it’s losing to BBC 2’s Put Your Money Where Your Mouth is.

      Reply
      1. Brig Bother Post author

        That’s interesting, last time I heard it was still doing 1.5-2mill, which shows how much I was paying attention.

        Reply
      2. kylie

        When The Chase finished The Weakest Link recovered to win the slot. Its been beating the cooking thing on ITV, Escape the country and Fern Britton’s show, despite the fact that 2/5 of every weeks episodes are repeats

        Reply
        1. Tom H

          Like mine, which they showed for the third time the other week. Filmed in 2006 too, so must have been getting desperate.

          Reply
    1. David B

      I think we forget how tough series 1 of Pointless was to watch as a regular viewer. Armstrong was still finding his feet as a host, lots of Richard’s facts and riffing got cut out, the slaveless sticking to the script, the interminable repetition of the rules (with worked examples, no less), the dodgy video editing, the even dodgier sound editing (“It’s a right answer” x 83 times a show), the slightly too short playoff round…

      Reply
      1. K.

        Very true – while seeing recent episodes I saw recorded seems to make me go “so I guess -that- bit of banter isn’t getting broadcast? FINE *sulk*” quite a bit, watching some old series 1 episodes recently was amazing in comparison. I’m really glad it was able to get past series 1 – I think going down to four pairs and allowing a bit of breathing room for banter was a good decision. (I am very much in it for the banter. Very much.)

        I only really started becoming a regular viewer when series 3 was broadcast and I don’t feel like it was hard to pick up at all, so earlier episodes using at least two or three minutes at the top of EVERY EPISODE to be like “this is what a Pointless answer is! This is what wrong answer is. Avoid them! That’s bad.” was kind of… interminable…

        Reply
    2. Netizen

      I was very much down on Alexander’s hosting at the time, despite loving the format. Normally, I hate rubbish banter that gets in the way of the game, but I love that part of the show now and wouldn’t have it any other way.

      Reply
  3. Ryan

    I suppose that it’s a good thing that I saw a taping of the WL Champions’ League in 2002 then.

    Reply
  4. Joe

    Fantastic news. Hopefully it’ll help indies pitch new game shows for that slot.

    Reply
  5. K.

    As unlikely as it might be, I’m seconding “Pointless for that slot!”

    Mostly I’m just still a bit freaked out after that report earlier on in the year about BBC2 getting rid of its afternoon telly in favour of rolling news – it’s like they made the “IS THIS THE END OF ARMSTRONG AND OSMAN’S DOUBLE-ACT?!?!” headline specifically to scaremonger me. Consider me duly scaremongered.

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      1. K.

        Perhaps shamefully, the mere thought of that did get me genuinely excited for a moment. DEAR BBC…

        Reply
      2. David B

        Many shows are already broadcast in Pointless HD!

        Including, from next series, Only Connect.

        Reply
          1. Jennifer Turner

            The general BBC HD channel still exists as well as BBC One HD.

          2. Travis P

            Same applies with Have I Got More News For You. It’s simulcast on BBC2 and BBC HD.

  6. The Banker's Nephew

    Sad to see if go, particularly as I just recently began watching it regularly.

    Reply

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