Mayim Bialik will fill in as a guest host on “Jeopardy!” starting this Monday after the show’s newly named host Mike Richards stepped down.
The 45-year-old actress will temporarily take over hosting the popular game show and start taping on Monday, 15 episodes in all, Sony announced, according to The New York Times.
Bialik was previously named by the company to host “Jeopardy!” prime-time specials with Richards taking over for the daily hosting duties for the late Alex Trebek following his passing in November. (RELATED: LeVar Burton Confirms He Has His Sights Set On Being The Next Host Of ‘Jeopardy!’)
‘Jeopardy’: Mayim Bialik to Temporarily Replace Mike Richards as Full-Time Host https://t.co/cDlxXTVENt
— Variety (@Variety) August 23, 2021
Reports surfaced Friday about the popular game show’s new host who stepped down from the job following criticism from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) about allegedly “disparaging remarks” he made in the past “about Jews, women & Asians. (RELATED: Report: Aaron Rodgers’ ‘Jeopardy!’ Guest Hosting Gave Show A Huge Spike In Ratings)
The search for a permanent daily host resumed, the company shared, but there was no other details released about a possible list of candidates.
“As we move forward with production on this season of ‘Jeopardy!,’ additional guest hosts will be announced,” Sony shared in a statement.
After Trebek lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, a large group of celebrities stepped in to help guest host the show with several vying for the permanent gig. The list of guest hosts include Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, “Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings, LeVar Burton, Savannah Guthrie, Bialik and many more.