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'Jeopardy!' executive producer Mike Richards in talks to permanently replace Alex Trebek as host: report
By Nate Day
Published August 04, 2021
"Jeopardy!" may have found their replacement for late host Alex Trebek.
According to Variety, the show's executive producer Mike Richards is in "advanced negotiations" to fill the slot.
After Trebek's passing at the age of 80 in November 2020, a series of guest hosts took the reigns including LeVar Burton, Katie Couric, Aaron Rodgers, Mayim Bialik and more.
The outlet reports that Richards, 46, impressed Sony's brass with his on-air presence.
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A spokesperson for Sony told Variety that negotiations with several possible candidates were ongoing, though the rep did not elaborate on Richards' negotiations.
‘Jeopardy!' executive producer Mike Richards is reportedly in talks to replace Alex Trebek as the show's host. (Photo by Daytime Emmy Awards 2021 via Getty Images)
A source close to the situation told the outlet that other candidates remain in the mix and Richards' role as host is not yet guaranteed, but that he's a frontrunner.
Richards previously hosted the shows "Divided" and "The Pyramid," both for Sony.
Additionally, for the WB network, he previously hosted "High School Reunion" and for the CW, "Beauty and the Geek."
In 2008, he began working as a co-executive producer on "The Price Is Right" before becoming an executive producer on the show just a year later. He was also instrumental in selling the "Let’s Make a Deal" revival to CBS.
Before joining the "Jeopardy!" team last year, Richards produced over 4,000 hours of game shows, Variety reports. He first came to Sony via ABC's celebrity version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."
Alex Trebek hosted the show for 36 years before his death in 2020. (Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images)
Additionally, he's bagged a number of Daytime Emmys for his work in television, including a win earlier this year for "Jeopardy!"
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Several other high-profile stars served as guest hosts including Anderson Cooper, Bill Whitaker, Dr. Mehmet Oz, George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, Savannah Guthrie, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and former contestants Ken Jennings and Buzzy Cohen.
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Jennings, who was the first to guest host following Trebek's passing and is widely known as one of the greatest "Jeopardy!" players, was long considered the frontrunner for the hosting gig. He holds the record for the most consecutive victories on the show with a 74-game streak and has earned $2.52 million in regular-play winnings, not including additional winnings from later tournaments.
A rep for "Jeopardy!" did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jeopardy-executive-producer-mike-richards-in-talks-permanently-replace-alex-trebek-host