The Weakest Link: Kids Edition

The Weakest Link: Kids Edition is a spin-off of the game show The Weakest Link broadcast and distributed by the BBC Studios. It is hosted by Anthony Cassidy, taking over from Anne Robinson. The show premiered on Saturday April 28th, 2018 on the CBBC channel.​​​​​

Format
The original format features nine contestants, who (in no particular order) take turns answering general knowledge questions. The objective of every round is to create a chain of nine correct answers in a row and earn an increasing amount of money within a time limit. One wrong answer breaks the chain and loses any money earned within that particular chain. However, before their question is asked, a contestant can choose to bank the current amount of money earned in any chain to make it safe, after which the chain starts afresh. A contestant's decision not to bank, in anticipation being able to correctly answer the upcoming question allows the money to grow, as each successive correct answer earns proportionally more money.

When the allotted time for every round ends, any money which is not banked is lost, and if the host is in the middle of asking a question, or has asked a question but the contestant has yet to answer, the question is abandoned. Occasionally, the host gives the correct answer whether the contestant is able to answer the question correctly or not. The round automatically ends if the team successfully reaches the maximum amount for the round before the allotted time expires, and the next person says "Bank". Every round thereafter (except round 8) is reduced by 10 seconds as players are eliminated. For Round 8, the last or final round, the remaining 2 players only have 90 seconds (1:30) on the clock to "treble" whatever they bank.

The first person to be asked a question in the first round is the player whose name is first alphabetically. Every subsequent round starts with the "strongest link"—the player with the most correct answers—from the previous round, unless that person has been voted off, in which case the second strongest link answers first.

Money tree
The money tree was as follows:

Voting and elimination
At the end of every round, contestants must vote one player out of the game. Until the beginning of the next round, only the television audience knows exactly who the strongest and weakest links are statistically due to Briggs' narration. While the contestants work as a team when answering questions, they are at this point encouraged to be ruthless with one another. Players often decide to vote off weaker rivals, but occasionally decide to eliminate stronger players as well, in hope that it then improves their chances of winning the game. After the revealing of the votes, the host will interrogate the players on their choice of voting, the reasons behind their choice, as well as their performance, background and their interests. After interrogation, the player with the most votes is given a stern "You are the weakest link. Goodbye!" and must walk off the stage in what is called the "Walk of Shame." The eliminated contestant then delivers a brief statement, summing up the experience of the show and stating who might be voted off next, and who is likely to win.

In the event of a tie or draw, the strongest link has the final decision about who is eliminated. If he or she voted for a tied player, there is the option of sticking with their vote or changing it. Strongest links usually stick with their original choice, unless another player in the tie has voted for them. Occasionally, the strongest link has voted for someone who is not in the tie, and so is forced to make a decision one way or the other.

Final round
The last 2 contestants work together in the eighth and final round identical to the previous ones, however, all money banked at the end of this round is tripled and added to the current money total, forming the final total for the game. At the end of this round, there is no elimination, with the game instead moving to the head to head round.

"Head to head" round
For the head to head round, the remaining 2 players are each required to answer 5 questions each in a penalty shootout format. The strongest link from the previous round chooses who goes first. Whoever has the most correct answers at the end of the round wins the game. In the event of a tie, the game goes to Sudden Death. Every player continues to be asked questions as usual, until 1 person answers a question correctly and the other incorrectly.

The winner of the game is declared "the strongest link" and takes home all of the money accumulated in the prize pool for the game, and the loser leaves with nothing, like all previous eliminated players.

Broadcast and critical reception
The spin-off show was announced shortly after the 2017 Children in Need special. They had announced it would be a kids edition, hosted by an Anne Robinson lookalike boy, Anthony Cassidy, complete with his black clothes and glasses. He was an Anne Robinson addict and has watched the show since he was 6. He was 12 when he came to the role. As shown in the trailers, the children shiver and laugh under his grasp. He has obviously been nicknamed the King of Mean, as opposed to Queen. He utters that famous catchphrase brilliantly, "You ARE the Weakest Link, Goodbye!" He says he drew his devilishness from South African host Fiona Coyne, who also trained under Anne Robinson, and hosted the entire South African version of the show from 2003-2008. The show is scheduled to last 22 episodes a season.