Who doesn’t love a good game show? The intense energy, the upbeat music, the triumphant highs and heartbreaking lows of contestants winning their dream prize or watching it slip right through their fingers. Yes, America loves its game shows, but there is one additional component that can make or break the shows for viewers — the host! A good host will keep viewers coming back week after week, and in some cases, year after year. In our fast-paced world so full of change, there is just something so comforting about having the consistency of seeing a familiar face. So, we just had to pay a little homage to the game show hosts who held it down for years at a time. Here are a few of the longest-running game show hosts in TV history.
Pat Sajak — Wheel of Fortune
Pat Sajak, the beloved long-time host of the hit Wheel of Fortune, just retired from his 40-year run on the show. Yes, you read that correctly, Pat Sajak was the host of Wheel of Fortune for 40 years. He just received a Guinness World Record for “Longest-Running Game Show Host,” so of course, he made the top of our list! Pat Sajak began the show all the way back in 1981 along with his cohost Vanna White and the dynamic duo made it until this year, 2023. Sajak was recently replaced by Ryan Seacrest, a long-time radio DJ and TV host.
Alex Trebek — Jeopardy!
Jeopardy! is one of the most recognized game shows on television today. It features a battle of wits as some of America’s best and brightest face off in a winner-take-all challenge. Yet not only is the show one of the most recognized, but it is also one of the longest-running game shows, with a hefty 39 seasons under its belt. The show began in 1984 featuring the lovable host, Alex Trebek, who stayed with the show for 37 seasons, all the way up to his death in 2020. That long stretch allows him to lay claim to one of the longest-running game show host spots of all time. Jeopardy! continues to this day, with two new cohosts, Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik (who has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience) and Ken Jennings. While the two are certainly a dynamic duo, in many viewers’ minds, Alex Trebek will always be the one true Jeopardy! host.
Bob Barker — The Price Is Right
Bob Barker was not only one of the most experienced game show hosts, but he is one of America’s originals. He began on the hit show The Price Is Right, all the way back in 1972. The Price Is Right is the longest-running game show in TV history and features everyday Americans guessing the cost of various high-priced items such as cars, refrigerators, vacations, etc. If the contestant was correct, then they got to keep the prize. He sat on his Price Is Right throne for 35 long years. He retired from the show in 2007, just as he celebrated his 50th year as a television host. He passed his crown on to host Drew Carey who has been on it ever since. Yet, while The Price is Right was one of the last shows Bob Barker was on, it certainly wasn’t his first. In fact, he was cast as the host while also spearheading another long-running game show, Truth or Consequences. He hosted both shows simultaneously for about 3 years.
Bob Barker (again) — Truth or Consequences
Bob Barker put game show hosting on the map as he hosted not one, but two hit series, at the same time. Truth or Consequences was one of the original game shows and began as a radio show in the 1940s and moved to TV for the first time in the 1950s. The show was sort of a test run of the game show genre and ran on CBS along with CBS Television Show Quiz. Truth or Consequences was such a hit, it ran for nearly 30 years, all the way until 1988. Bob Barker joined the show in 1956 and hosted it all the way to 1975, during which he also joined the game show The Price Is Right. He eventually left Truth or Consequences as The Price Is Right began to take off, but his time on the original show was another record breaker.
Drew Carey –– The Price Is Right
After accepting the game show host baton from Bob Barker, Drew Carey took The Price is Right and ran with it. While many other game show hosts filling former beloved host spots often receive backlash, Carey’s transition seemed fairly smooth and he has stayed on the show 15 years and counting, as well as hosting other shows along the way including Whose Line is It Anyway, which he has been on since 1998, and Drew Carey’s Improv-A-Ganza. He also had his show, The Drew Carey Show, which aired from 1995-2004. Carey’s long run in Hollywood has resulted in several prime spots that have been his legacy and claim to fame.
Steve Harvey — Family Feud
Steve Harvey is the host of Family Feud, Celebrity Family Feud, Family Feud Africa, and several others. Basically, he’s a busy guy. Family Feud, as the name would imply, is a family game show where families compete against other families for points and prizes. A topic is presented and each team (family) has to correctly guess the audience’s answers. It’s a light, fun, and family-friendly game show that audiences seemed to love. The show itself started in 1976 with Steve Harvey coming on board in 2010 and hosting it still today.
Monty Hall — Let’s Make a Deal
Let’s Make a Deal is a game show that debuted in the game show boom of the 1960s. Monty Hall started with the show at its creation in 1963 and hosted it until 1986. The show has contestants strike wacky deals to win prizes or deals for things they want. Costumes are usually involved as the show’s goal is the wackier the deals and the better the outfits. After Monty Hall’s retirement from the show, a few interim hosts were brought in until it was finally handed over to Wayne Brady in 2010. Wayne Brady hosts it to this day and has his own claim to fame as a long-running game show host.
Wayne Brady — Let’s Make a Deal
Some game shows are so popular, they end up running for decades, which means they often go through a host or two. Let’s Make A Deal went through several after long-time host Monty Hall stepped away. After a few tries, the show finally found its next best fit in well-known comedian Wayne Brady. Wayne Brady came to the show in 2010 and is hosting it still today with no end in sight. The show has made some changes yet the same fun-filled atmosphere remains and Wayne Brady brings his own unique brand of humor and wackiness, which seems to be a perfect fit for audiences.
Howie Mandel — Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal graced the TV airwaves in 2005, as host Howie Mandel brought the energy and enthusiasm the show needed to be a big hit. The show’s premise centered around contestants picking between a variety of suitcases containing everything from $1 up to millions of dollars and making deals for the remaining suitcases.
He stayed with the show from 2005-2019 before leaving on less-than-ideal terms. Mandel revealed to the LA Times that he “felt like nothing” to the show and even after all his time as host it wasn’t fulfilling for him. He made a move to America’s Got Talent where he happily remains today.
Regis Philbin — Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
Regis Philbin is a very familiar face, he has been on multiple TV shows since his career began all the way back in the early 1950s! In fact, in 2004 he set a Guinness World Record for “Most Hours on Camera,” which is no surprise because he seems to be everywhere. From game shows to morning talk shows, it seems like there’s almost nothing Regis hasn’t done. Yet through all his various roles, his run on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire was one of the longest, although it was not entirely consecutive. The show itself has been on the air for 22 years, merging into a spin-off of Who Wants To Be a Super Millionaire. Philbin has hosted the show on and off over the years, however with his presence on the spin-off and the continued airing of older episodes, Philbin snags a spot as one of the longest-running game show hosts of our time.
Game shows have captured our imagination, attention, and TV screens for years, and the hosts that stick with them for equally as long create almost a sense of family that viewers seem to relate to. These 10 hosts especially have given us lots of laughs over the years and have made the shows they host some of the most popular and longest-running of our time. Thanks for the memories, everyone!
