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Romesh Ranganathan says hosting new 'Weakest Link' is 'double-edged sword'

Romesh Ranganathan is hosting the new 'Weakest Link'. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images for Warner Bros)
Romesh Ranganathan is hosting the new 'Weakest Link'. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images for Warner Bros)

Romesh Ranganathan has said hosting the revived Weakest Link series is a "double-edged sword" due to the expectations surrounding it.

It was announced last month that the comedian would be fronting a new celebrity iteration of the much-loved quiz show that was previously hosted by the acid-tongued Anne Robinson

“People are very excited about it, but they also have expectations,” he told iNews in a new interview. “So it’s a double-edged sword.”

Watch: Anne Robinson 'delighted' The Weakest Link is returning on TV

Robinson, who now presents Channel 4's Countdown, hosted the programme from 2000 until 2012 and returned for one-off special Children in Need edition in 2017.

Read more: Quiz! Test your knowledge on The Weakest Link questions

Unlike his predecessor Ranganathan won't be dishing out barbs to the contestants, instead putting his own spin on the show.

“The way that Anne did it was brilliant and I don’t know that I could get away with that. I don’t think I’ve got that in me, to take it to that level," he said.

Anne Robinson was well known for her put-downs of the contestants. (Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank)
Anne Robinson was well known for her put-downs of the contestants. (Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank)

Ranganathan added the career move is a "kind of unexpected" one from him and that he thought "long and hard" about it, but he's confident in the way they've approached the upcoming series.

“I used to love Weakest Link and the idea of doing it in my own way, a new version of it, I found really exciting. But I do find it slightly scary, doing something that big and so iconic," he went on.

There's been another big career announcement for Ranganathan recently too as he is set to take over from James Corden as the host of Sky original series A League Of Their Own.

He will host the 16th series of the show alongside team captains Freddie Flintoff and Jamie Redknapp.

Watch: BBC confirms The Weakest Link is to return with new host Romesh Ranganathan