Weakest Link (Australian game show)
| Weakest Link | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Fintan Coyle & Cathy Dunning |
| Starring | Cornelia Frances |
| Country of origin |  Australia |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | 7 |
| Release | February 2001 – April 2002 |
| Release | website |
| Release | website |
| Release | website |
| Release | website |
| Release | website |
| Release | website |
| Release | website |
The Weakest Link was an Australian game show based on the hit UK format, which aired from February 2001 to April 2002 on the 7 Network. Presented by Cornelia Frances (who was fitted to be the host, as she was famous for being a TV villain), the show featured 9 contestants vying for $100,000. It aired twice weekly in primetime. At the beginning, the show received a lot of feedback from angry people, complaining how rude Cornelia was, some even saying she was worse than Anne Robinson. After toning the show down, it continued to receive modest ratings until its cancellation in April 2002.
Format
See The Weakest Link for format info.
The format is similar to the British version with some slight differences:
- The first round last only for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
- That means, instead of 90 seconds in the eighth round, there are 80 seconds.
Special Versions
The show also featured several special versions. One included a show that linked with another reality TV show The Mole where the Mole contestants were part of the show. In this episode, Bob Young won the playoff over Thao Nguyen and became the winner of this episode, where the prize was a free pass to the next episode on The Mole (aka immunity) and all money won went to the kitty. According to Cornelia Frances, they won $14,100, the lowest amount won in any Australian episode of the Weakest Link. However, Grant Bowler, the host of the Mole rounded up to $15,000 since all kitties of the Mole have been rounded by $1,000.
Another special show was the "Worst Loser Special" where eliminated contestants from previous shows came back to play the game again. Also, there were two shows, one in mid-2001 and one in late-2001 where winners of previous shows played again for a chance to win more money. In the latter show, known as "The Best of the Best", a record $72,900 prize money was earned.
Trivia
In one episode, one contestant was so angry because he was "The Weakest Link", he threw his board down on the floor where it bounced and hit Cornelia Frances in the leg. This scene was edited out before going to air.