Mayim Bialik set to guest host weekday 'Jeopardy!' after Mike Richards' messy exit
Jeopardy! metaphorically reset the record for lowest negative score ever in recent weeks, as drama unfurled around Mike Richards after he was announced as the permanent replacement host for the daily syndicated trivia show earlier this month.
Mayim Bialik is putting the team on her back.
The Big Bang Theory star will guest host the weekday edition of Jeopardy! while the powers that be scramble to replace Richards, who stepped down from the role Friday after more examples surfaced of the longtime executive producer using disparaging and sexist language during his time with The Price Is Right.
CNN first reported this development Monday (Aug. 23):
"Bialik will host the episodes that are taped this week, sources familiar with the matter told CNN Business. Since the game show typically tapes a week's worth of episodes on a single day, this means she will host three weeks of Jeopardy!
"Sony, the show's producer, confirmed the news after this story was first published, and said that 'additional guest hosts will be announced' as it moves forward with production of the new season, which will premiere in mid-September."
Richards will remain the show's executive producer.
Jeopardy!'s original Aug. 11 announcement pegged Richards as the new daily host and Bialik as the new permanent host of prime time and spin-off specials:
Luckily for Jeopardy!, seeing as it needs her now more than ever, Bialik was thrilled:
The iconic show was previously helmed by Alex Trebek from 1984 until he passed away last November at 80 years old following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Once Trebek's final episode aired posthumously in January, a revolving door of guest hosts carried out the rest of Season 37, including Bialik and Richards.
There was immediate backlash and confusion when Jeopardy! went with Richards related to his past behavior as well as a clamoring for LeVar Burton to get the job. Ryan Reynolds joined that chorus last week.
Burton guest hosted in late July following a petition signed by over 272,000 people calling for the Reading Rainbow host to became the new Jeopardy! host.
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