Mayim Bialik stepping in to host Jeopardy! after Mike Richards controversy

Mayim Bialik will fill in as thehost of syndicated episodes of Jeopardy!in the wake of MikeRichards' exit.

Sony Pictures Television, which produces the long-runningquiz show, announced that Bialik is scheduled to tape threeweeks of episodes when production resumes this week for a total15 episodes. Additional guest hosts will be announcedat a later date.

Bialik was previously slated to split duties with Richards, hostingJeopardy!'s prime-time and spinoff series, while Richards would serve as the permanent host of the syndicated game show.However, nine days after he was chosen, Richards released a statement saying that hewould step down as host. He will remain with the show as an executive producer.

Richards' exitcame after pop culture website The Ringer published an article detailing comments he made on a podcast while executive producer onThe Price Is Right.

In the podcast, Richardsrepeatedly made disparaging comments about women. This came onthe heels of revelations that Richards was named in a lawsuit byformer Price Is Rightmodels who accused him of makinginsensitive statements, and taking other questionable actionsaround models on the show who became pregnant.

WATCH | Jeopardy! host Mike Richards steps down amid controversial comments:

Jeopardy! host Mike Richards steps down amid controversial comments

3 years ago

Duration 4:38

Mike Richards, executive producer of Jeopardy!, announced that he would step down as the show's host effective immediately. Richards's resignation comes after a report detailing his past misogynistic comments resurfaced earlier this week.

At the time of his exit, Richards had already taped multipleepisodes of Jeopardy!, which will air as scheduled to maintain continuitywith the contestants who won on those episodes.

Richards and Bialik were two of the guests hosts forJeopardy!as the show sought a permanent replacement for long-time host Alex Trebek, who died November 2020 from complications of pancreaticcancer. Other hosts considered includeLeVar Burton, SavannahGuthrie, Aaron Rodgersand Ken Jennings.

Richards' selection ashost was met with backlash from fans of the show, who believedthat he had used his position as executive producer to influencethe process in his favour.