‘Price Is Right’ to Go Dark for 2 Weeks Amid Coronavirus Concerns

The Price Is Right is the latest in a number of shows to halt filming amid the coronavirus, the Los Angeles Times reports. Fremantle Media announced Thursday that filming of The Price Is Right has been suspended entirely “for the short term,” saying “live audiences are integral to [its] format.” TMZ shares that the show will stop filming for two weeks.

The game show recently stopped filming in February after the death of host Drew Carey‘s former fiancée Dr. Amie Harwick, who was murdered in Los Angeles on Feb. 15. The show halted production for the week.

“Amie and I had a love that people are lucky to have once in a lifetime,” Carey said in a statement at the time. “She was a positive force in the world, a tireless and unapologetic champion for women, and passionate about her work as a therapist. I am overcome with grief. I would like to thank you in advance for giving myself and everyone who loved Amie privacy while we try to work through this tragic situation.”

Along with The Price Is Right, shows temporarily shutting down due to the coronavirus include Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS, Riverdale, Survivor and The Amazing Race. Several other shows have switched to filming without live studio audiences including Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, the Today show, Good Morning America, Live With Kelly and Ryan, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Wendy Williams Show, The View and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

In addition, multiple movies have delayed their release dates due to the virus including A Quiet Place Part II, which was scheduled to open this month; the James Bond sequel No Time to Die, which would have premiered in April; Disney’s live-action Mulan will now open later than scheduled; and the Fast & Furious sequel F9, which has been delayed from May to April 2021.

There are currently over 125,000 cases of COVID-19 confirmed globally and over 1,600 cases confirmed in the United States. Schools are closing, festivals are being postponed and major events are being canceled including the 2020 NCAA Tournament. The NBA suspended its season earlier this week after a player tested positive and the NHL has done the same.

Photo Credit: Getty / The Washington Post