As fans have rallied for the beloved host of Reading Rainbow Lavar Burton to become the new permanent host of Jeopardy, it seems the showrunners have had someone else in mind. In a new report from Variety, it seems that Mike Richards, the current producer of the show, is in talks to become the permanent replacement for the late Alex Trabek going forward.
Mike Richards has experience in this arena as he has previously hosted gameshows like Divided and Pyramid previously as well as reality TV shows like Beauty and the Geek and High School Reunion. While a Sony Pictures spokesman said discussions were “ongoing with several potential candidates” another source suggested that Richards was clearly the forerunner for the position.
Many guests have hosted the show since Alex Trebek’s death including Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, and Ken Jennings, the record holder for the most consecutive Jeopardy wins. Many believed that Jennings was a shoo-in for the position if Lavar Burton didn’t manage to get the job after the massive fan campaigns for him to do so making the news that Richards is the top choice for the position all that more surprising.
One thing is for sure — replacing a legend like Alex Trebek won’t be easy and the decision won’t be one taken lightly.
Source: Variety
