Mike Richards would be an excellent choice to host Jeopardy!

Mike Richards

Jeopardy! is my favourite game show and I was saddened by the death of its longtime host, Alex Trebek.  As a fan of the show, I am very interested in who will succeed Alex as its permanent host.  Right now, the show's executive producer, Mike Richards, is filling in as guest host and I am very impressed by the 45-year-old native of Burbank, California.  Richards stepped to the forefront on February 22, right after Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings completed his six-week run.  Jennings performed well, but just as he was about to leave, there was an outbreak of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, leaving the show with few options for guest hosts.  Enter Mike Richards, who made the following statement to the viewers of Jeopardy!: 

"I'm Mike Richards the executive producer of Jeopardy! and I'm hosting today and for the next two weeks to keep the greatest quiz show in the world going.  We have some amazing guest hosts coming, that I can't wait for you to see.  But with the COVID outbreak here in L.A., folks were understandably a little reticent to shoot.  Ken Jennings did a great job, but he's unavailable due to obligations with his show The Chase, so as the producer my job is to quite literally live the mantra: the show must go on."

Mike Richards is charming, but not phony or oily, and his voice is silky smooth.  He is also an experienced game show host and a multiple Emmy-winning producer.  He was the second host of the reality show Beauty and the Geek, as well as the executive producer of The Price is Right and Let's Make a Deal!  In addition, he hosted the Game Show Network's 2012 revival of The Pyramid and its 2016-2017 version of Divided.  In 2019, Richards left both shows to join Sony Pictures Television.  He was assigned to Who Wants to be a Millionire?, which he co-produced along with the show's host, Jimmy Kimmel.  For the 2021 season, he became executive producer of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.

I am curious to to view the other guest hosts, but Mike Richards has set the bar high.  Fans have responded very positively to him.  They have tweeted their approval.  That's why Jeopardy! may have found its new host by happenstance, that is if he wants the job

- Joanne