Dubbed the ‘Queen of mean’, her withering put-downs and acerbic tongue left contestants quaking in their boots.

Now, six years after it last aired, Anne Robinson and The Weakest Link are returning.

The hit BBC1 show is coming back in November for a one-off celebrity special for Children In Need, whilst the 72-year-old host is in final stages of talks with the corporation to bring the programme back for good next year.

One of the BBC’s most successful shows of all time – it was licensed to over 70 countries, and was moved from BBC2 to One after pulling in an unprecedented five million viewers a day – the revamped format will feature only well-known faces.

Last night a studio source said: ‘The Weakest Link was one of the most exciting and original quizzes in television history, and left a huge void when it came off air.

‘Nothing has really replaced it so the prospect of its return is really exciting.

‘But instead of being a teatime format, the 2018 version will be a primetime Saturday night series.

‘This time around, it will be a celebrities at the helm which will really give it a fresh and fun new feel.

‘Terms have been agreed in principle, and the BBC are hopeful of attracting some great – albeit brave – celeb names.’

It is understood Miss Robinson is keen to see how the Children In Need show goes before committing pen to paper, but her production company, Goodbye Television is already lined-up to co-produce the show alongside the BBC.

News of The Weakest Link’s return comes after 2012 Miss Robinson originally announced she was quitting the show, likening her workload to that of a ‘military operation’.

So popular was its ginger-haired, black-rimmed spectacle-wearing star, that after 1,693 episodes, 15,000 contestants, 230,000 questions and countless insults, the BBC refused to continue it without their main attraction.

It ran for 11 years from 2000, and made Miss Robinson a household name in both the UK and US where she also fronted the show for three years.

It also made the former journalist one of the wealthiest broadcasters on television, and in addition to her reported £1 million a year salary – she is expected to command a similar fee this time around – the presenter is said to have earned a £10 million promotion in 2007 when it moved from BBC Two to a tea-time slot on BBC One.

Her rudeness to contestants was legendary, and the inaugural show attracted more than 80 complaints from shocked viewers.

In one celebrity special, she famously made the late John Noakes weep when she asked him about his dead dog, Shep.

After announcing her decision to quit the series, she blamed a gruelling filming schedule, and said she wanted to leave before she got bored.

She added: ‘I’ll miss it. It’s been superb.

‘I’ve always tried to leave before you think you’re going to be tired of doing something.

‘If there’s anything about longevity in television, it’s about knowing what to take and what to turn down, and what to stop. It’s often about what not to do anymore.

‘Trying to write in the morning and start recording at 2.30 simply wasn’t working.’

Last night Miss Robinson confirmed plans to bring back the show, adding: ‘I‘ve been chatting to the BBC controller of Entertainment who has had the idea of reviving the show.

‘Who knows? I’m a bit on the old side for television and I can’t bake cakes. But I’m quite good at marinating my tongue in acid.’