Who will the worm woo?

There may be no encore of Peter Dunne's love affair with the worm this election.

Just 0.2 per cent separates his party and Act in a TV3 poll which the network is using to determine entry to a televised debate featuring the worm, a device recording the impressions of undecided voters.

TV3 head of news and current affairs Mark Jennings wants only six leaders - to be selected from the TV3/TNS poll released last night - at its multi-party debate.

United Future was on 1.4 per cent and Act on 1.6 per cent, making the decision too close to call at TV3.

Jim Anderton was out of the debate, but Mr Jennings said TV3 heads were split on whether to leave Mr Dunne or Act leader Rodney Hide out.

"There was virtually nothing between them so it's a hard call. It may just come down to the 0.2 per cent lead by Act. We are split."

Mr Dunne's rise from a solo MP to having an eight-member team in Parliament in the 2002 election has been attributed to his success on a TVNZ debate featuring the worm.

The worm rose every time he opened his mouth, and come election day, so did his vote count.