US Weakest Link may end

The programme opened with huge ratings

Anne Robinson's The Weakest Link is in danger of being axed in the US after poor ratings, say reports.

The Sunday Times quoted an NBC spokeswoman as saying the programme's future was "under review".

Audiences for the quiz show have fallen from 17.5 million viewers when it launched, to nearer 7 million for recent shows.

The programme was launched in a blaze of publicity

Robinson's ruthless approach to hosting the show - and her merciless despatching of contestants who fail to make the grade - made headlines in the US, as it did earlier in the UK.

But TV ratings suggest that audiences might be tiring of her style.

The US launch of the programme benefited from heavy publicity and won the presenter acres of newsprint.

A giant picture of Robinson was hung on the side of the NBC building and some other US TV programmes, incuding Frasier and The West Wing, were rescheduled to make room for the quiz at peak time.

Celebrities

But The Weakest Link hit its highest ratings early on.

Now NBC has dropped the Monday night edition and has tried to liven the show up by introducing more celebrities.

The US TV networks are likely to make a decision on the future of the show by mid-May, when scheduling plans are announced.

Robinson's agent told the Sunday Times that NBC were still "very happy" with the demographic profile of the show's audience.

Anne Robinson recently topped Hollywood's annual list of worst-dressed women.

The dubious award was given in January, when critic and self proclaimed fashion guru Mr Blackwell described her off-stage clothing as "frumpy".

But Robinson beat Britney Spears, who came second in the list for 2001.