★★★★★ 0/5

New Jeopardy! host announced

Exec. producer Mike Richards installed as new US quiz show host, succeeding Alex Trebek.

7
Leave a comment

US quiz show Jeopardy! has now chosen its permanent new host following the death of legendary Alex Trebek last year.

Executive producer Mike Richards has landed the role after a parade of guests hosts including LeVar Burton, former champs David Faber, Buzzy Cohen and Ken Jennings. Other names in the mix had reportedly included Savannah Guthrie, Sanjay Gupta, Anderson Cooper, Mayim Bialik, Aaron Rodgers, Dr. Oz, Katie Couric, George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts and Joe Buck.

Richards has hosting experience on Divided, The Pyramid as well as High School Reunion and  Beauty and the Geek.

Ex-Big Bang Theory cast member Mayim Bialik will also host primetime specials and spinoff series, the National College Championship.

“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to host the syndicated version of Jeopardy!,” Richards said in a release Wednesday confirming his hosting duties. “Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined being chosen to step into a role of this magnitude. I am incredibly humbled to step behind the lectern and will work tirelessly to make sure our brilliant contestants shine in each and every episode. Alex believed the game itself and the contestants are the most important aspects of the show. I was fortunate to witness his professionalism, intensity and kindness up close and that will serve as the ultimate blueprint as we continue to produce the show we love. I am thrilled that Mayim is joining the Jeopardy! team. Her academic track record and enthusiasm for the game made her a terrific guest host. It will be a privilege to produce the primetime series with her as host.”

Bialik said, “I couldn’t be more thrilled to join the Jeopardy! family. What started out with my 15-year-old repeating a rumor from Instagram that I should guest host the show has turned into one of the most exciting and surreal opportunities of my life! I’m so grateful and excited to continue to work with Mike Richards, and I’m just over the moon to join forces with him and Sony. After all the conversations we’ve had about this partnership, I am just so ready to get started!”

Jeopardy! airs in Australia on SBS VICELAND and FOX Classics.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

7 Responses

  3. A great sigh of relief from me.

    I was absolutely dreading the prospect of a new permanent host, and suspected that I may stop watching Jeopardy entirely once SBS exhausts their backlog of first-run Trebek episodes. While I am not familiar with Mike Richards (other than a few YouTube clips that I have just watched as a reference), he seems to embody the qualities that are befitting of the host of Jeopardy, and I think he will come into his own in good time.

    Alex Trebek never struck me as a showman, yet he managed to steal the hearts of his audience over the decades. And that is precisely what Jeopardy needs. Humility is a scarce resource among entertainers, and I wish Mike Richards the very best as he is following one of the toughest acts in the industry.

  4. Can’t say I’m shocked given the scuttlebutt I was hearing. Seems to have been a bit pointless to milk 8 months of episodes from celebrities with varying degrees of success to hire the guy who was “always there”. Feeling a bit for LeVar Burton, who’s stint as host was mid-Olympics in the peak summer holiday week which meant his episodes were largely relegated to “when we can fit them in”. He was definitely the front-running people’s choice when the second tranche of guest hosts was announced but got a bad hand when his time came. Agree with Dean though, Buzzy would have been my pick. Mayim Bialik is a great pick for the spin-off series. I remember years ago – not long after she was permanent on BBT – there was a rumour going around that she’s been tapped on the shoulder for a US version of ‘Only Connect’ which ultimately never got off the ground. I presume it’s going to be similar in format to ‘University Challenge’. Who knows maybe in a few years she’ll fill Mike…

      1. I am actually thrilled that they are so far behind as I have only recently started watching Jeopardy religiously (along with Letters and Numbers), and it’s easy to see why the American public have loved Alex Trebek through the decades.

        I have been dreading the guest host episodes (although they are still a ways away on SBS) but I am actually really happy and so relieved with their new choice of host (frankly, I wasn’t at all thrilled with any of the other guest hosts). I think Jeopardy needs a composed gentleman (rather than a showman, which can be quite grating given the general character of the show) and Mike Richards seems to fit the bill nicely, though time will tell, of course.

Leave a Reply