'Nasty' second presenter picked for US Weakest Link

The Weakest Link has been so successful in the US that another presenter has been recruited to host the show during the day.

American actor George Gray is set to begin production of the show at the end of month.

Anne Robinson will still present the prime-time version of the show, which attracted an audience of 52.4 million during its first three outings on America's NBC network.

A BBC spokeswoman would not say whether Gray would use the same scathing style as Robinson, but said each version of the programme tried to keep to the same formula.

"I think that is the style of the show wherever it's recreated, so different presenters are likely to have the same presence and authority, and will probably be just as nasty," she said.

Colin Jarvis, director of programming at BBC Worldwide, said the addition of a new presenter proved that the show had been a success in the US.

He said: "To have two versions of The Weakest Link produced by the same network demonstrates the success the show is for NBC in the short time since its release in the US."

Music, set and graphics are to remain the same as the UK format, but the number of contestants will be reduced to six, from eight, so that the programme fits into its US time slot.

BBC producers will travel to America to work on the initial episodes of the programme with NBC.