Two favourites to fill Angus Deayton's hot seat on TV quiz Have I Got News For You, Stephen Fry and Clive Anderson, have been ruled out of the race by producers, who say they were never even considered.

As the current series draws to a close, producers say they have not got a shortlist of candidates to host the next series.

Stephen Fry: Popular with the public

A string of stand-ins, including Anne Robinson and politician Boris Johnson, has hosted the show since Deayton was sacked following revelations about his private life in October.

"It is not true that either Stephen Fry or Clive Anderson were ever approached and asked to do the show," a BBC spokesman said.

"The press just pulled names out of a hat. It was all pure speculation. A list of potential future presenters has not even been made yet."

A clue to what producers will look for in a replacement was given by Jimmy Mulville, joint managing director of production company Hat Trick.

"It won't be a complete unknown," he told The Independent.

"But it may be a journalist whom we all know but who hasn't done TV before, or an actor who is not an A-lister."

Deayton's return?

His comments will dampen speculation that the job will go to other touted personalities such as Dermot Murnaghan, John Sergeant or Andrew Marr.

Producers have to find a permanent replacement for two new series that will appear over the next 12 months.

A recent poll suggested that viewers wanted Deayton to return - but the next most popular choices were Fry and Anderson.

Anne Robinson has been the most successful stand-in, attracting 7.3 million viewers - the highest total of the series.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy took the hot seat on Friday, while Jeremy Clarkson will present the final show.