Legendary ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Dies After Fall: Mayra Gómez Kemp Was 76

A true television pioneer has passed away. Former game show host Mayra Gómez Kemp died on Sunday, according to La Vanguardia. As RTVE notes, she is recognized as the first woman in the world to host a game show and later went on to host Spain’s version of Wheel of Fortune, which is translated as La ruleta de la fortuna. She was 76.

The Un, dos, tres… responda otra vez host suffered a fall at her Mijas, Spain, home sometime in the week before her death. She was hospitalized as a result and sadly died from unspecified complications.

Kemp became a trailblazer in the ’80s as Un, dos, tres… responda otra vez host. After a stint as a background performer on the quiz show, she was brought back to host in 1982 as a temporary replacement for presenter Kiko Ledgard. However, she became the full-time host, staying on the program until 1988 and making history as TV’s first female game show host.

She would go on to host La ruleta de la fortuna in the ’90s. She also hosted the talk show Simplemente Mayra.

Between 2009 and 2013, Kemp suffered some serious health issues. In that period, she was diagnosed with cancers in the tongue, throat and neck. She won that health battle, living another decade before this recent fall.