'Jeopardy!’: Mayim Bialik Shares Photo From Set After Becoming Temporary Host
The game show must go on for the Jeopardy! crew. The show's temporary host Mayim Bialik recently [...]
The game show must go on for the Jeopardy! crew. The show's temporary host Mayim Bialik recently shared a photo of herself and her agent, Richard Weitz, on the set during production. "My amazing agent @richardweitzla stopped by the set of Jeopardy! this week. Yup. The same agent I called (aka bugged!!) as soon as my son Miles suggested I should host Jeopardy!," she wrote in the caption. Bialik sported a teal blazer and navy blue top in the photo while wearing some signature blue square-rimmed eyeglasses.
Bialik steps in as a temporary host amid Sony Pictures Television's continued search for a full-time permanent emcee. The company previously believed it had found one in executive producer Mike Richards, but the idea was short-lived. After he was announced to stand in famed host Alex Trebek's shoes, Richards turned down the appointment following resurfaced controversy regarding his past racial and anti-Semitic comments as well as his involvement in a sexual harassment suit.
View this post on Instagram
"It pains me that these past incidents and comments have cast such a shadow on Jeopardy! as we look to start a new chapter," Richards wrote in his statement. "As I mentioned last week, I was deeply honored to be asked to host the syndicated show and was thrilled by the opportunity to expand my role. However, over the last several days it has become clear that moving forward as host would be too much of a distraction for our fans and not the right move for the show. As such, I will be stepping down as host effective immediately. As a result, we will be canceling production today."
The photo arrives as some of Bialik's previous controversial comments regarding Harvey Weinstein and the safety of vaccines have come to light following her temporary appointment announcement. Bialik initially responded to the issues saying that her words were being "taken out of context." Though, it'll be interesting to see what comes next during the Big Bang Theory star's new stint as host before champion Ken Jennings possibly steps in as permanent host. She first reacted to the news expressing her excitement.
"I couldn't be more thrilled to join the Jeopardy! family," Bialik said in a statement Wednesday. "What started out with my 15-year-old repeating a rumor from Instagram that I should guest host the show has turned into one of the most exciting and surreal opportunities of my life! I'm so grateful and excited to continue to work with Mike Richards, and I'm just over the moon to join forces with him and Sony. After all the conversations we've had about this partnership, I am just so ready to get started!"