Fans of the BBC quiz show The Weakest Link were left distracted and amused during a New Year's Eve celebrity special, as former Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby dominated proceedings with her exuberantly loud voice.
"You Know Your Mic Is On": Charlotte's Boisterous Appearance
The episode, which aired on Wednesday evening, saw the 35-year-old reality TV personality test her general knowledge alongside other celebrities, with host Romesh Ranganathan, 47, at the helm. However, viewers at home quickly took to social media to complain that Charlotte's consistently high volume was proving a major distraction throughout the show.
Romesh himself addressed the issue on air, joking to her: "You know your mic is on, don't you? How far away do you think I am?" In a characteristically giddy response, Charlotte explained she became "excited like a seagull," a comparison that left the comedian visibly confused. When he queried, "Like a seagull?" she clarified: "They do it when they want a chip."
Viewer Reaction and Helen Flanagan's Awkward Moment
On social media platform X, formerly Twitter, audience members were united in their observations. One viewer commented: "Just started watching The Weakest Link and can the shouty person stop shouting?!" Another penned: "Seriously is Charlotte Crosby high or drunk? Slurring Les Miserables and shouting out constantly." A third added their frustration, stating: "Not even finished the first round... I swear I’m gonna turn it off if they don’t vote Charlotte Crosby off first. SO annoying. STOP SHOUTING???"
The celebrity special contained another memorable moment, this time involving actress Helen Flanagan. The 35-year-old Coronation Street star was left red-faced after struggling to identify a famous TV presenter in one of the quiz rounds.
Host Romesh asked Helen: "Look at your screen, this TV presenter shares his surname with which month of the year?" The screen showed an image of James May, the former Top Gear host. Helen paused for over 20 seconds, leaving her fellow contestants, including rapper Konan, looking around in baffled silence.
She eventually landed on the correct answer, May, and squealed in excitement. However, the lengthy delay had consequences. Despite getting the answer right, Helen received the most votes to be eliminated in that round.
Aftermath and Availability
Comedian Tim Vine, who voted for her, explained his reasoning: "The thing that made me do it was just before a correct answer when you waited for, I think, six minutes. It was quite a long time." Helen responded, "But did I get that answer right?" to which Tim replied, "Yes, but the clock was going down." Romesh added wryly, "If it makes you feel any better she seems pretty chilled about it."
The New Year's Eve special, filled with both noisy excitement and awkward pauses, is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
