Anne is the US's Weakest Link

Anne Robinson has been declared the weakest link in the American TV ratings war, her quiz show axed because of falling ratings.

NBC bought the rights from the BBC last year and made Robinson a household name in the US along with her icy manner and catchphrases: "You are the weakest link" and "Goodbye".

But viewing figures dropped from the 17.5 million which took it into the US Top 10 shows, to seven million. NBC is dropping it from its autumn schedule even though it had signed a sixyear contract with host Robinson. She was paid £1million for the first 13 episodes, with the promise of another £7million if the show took off.

The Weakest Link has just recorded its worst ratings in Britain, with 2.9 million viewers last week compared with near six million in the past.

ABC's American version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is also being axed as the appetite for quiz shows there wanes.