Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is to break his silence in a prime time French television interview over charges he attempted to rape a hotel maid in New York.

"Strauss-Kahn will on Sunday answer questions from Claire Chazal during the 8pm news on TF1," Le Point magazine says on its website.

Chazal is a friend and former colleague of Strauss-Kahn's loyal wife, Anne Sinclair.

Allegations he attempted to rape hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo in his luxury New York hotel suite in May led to Strauss-Kahn having to abandon his hopes of standing in next year's French presidential election.

Before the alleged attack, opinion polls said the Socialist politician was the candidate most likely to beat President Nicolas Sarkozy.