'Wheel of Fortune' Makes Big Change Going Into 40th Season

Wheel of Fortune finally has a permanent replacement for former executive producer Mike Richards. Bellamie Blackstone was hired as the new executive producer of the game show, which will start its 40th season later this year. Richards stepped down as executive producer of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune in late August 2021 after sexist and insensitive comments he made on a podcast resurfaced. 

Blackstone is a game show veteran, having worked on shows like Press Your Luck, Deal or No Deal, and 1 vs. 100, reports Deadline. Her resume includes Netflix's History of Swear Words, Hulu's I Love You and America with Sarah Silverman, and Kids Say the Darndest Things. She will work with longtime supervising producer Steve Schwartz, who was promoted to co-executive producer. Hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White recently signed contracts keeping them at Wheel through the 2023-2024 season.

"It's incredibly exciting to be asked to join such an iconic show," Blackstone said in a statement Wednesday. "Wheel of Fortune is a classic, and I'm thrilled to be working with Steve and the entire Wheel of Fortune team taking this beloved show into the next 40 years."

"With Bellamie joining as executive producer and Steve stepping up as co-executive producer of Wheel of Fortune, we have a terrific team to shepherd this iconic show into the future," Suzanne Prete, EVP, Game Shows for Sony Pictures Television, added. "Bellamie is a creative force with a fresh perspective that will help us extend and expand the Wheel of Fortune franchise in exciting new ways. Throughout season 39, Steve has demonstrated remarkable leadership that is equaled only by his historical knowledge of the show."

Last summer, Wheel of Fortune was caught in the Richards controversy because he was also an executive producer on the show. After a season of rotating guest hosts for Jeopardy!, Richards surprisingly named himself the permanent host. However, he was forced to step down less than two weeks later after The Ringer published excerpts of his offensive and sexist comments from a podcast he hosted in 2013 and 2014. Richards also faced workplace misconduct allegations from his time at The Price is Right. 

Sony kept Richards on as executive producer until he was finally forced out on Aug. 31, 2021. Richards was executive producer for both shows for only one season. He succeeded Harry Friedman, who retired in 2020 after overseeing Jeopardy! and Wheel for over two decades.