Just nine days after being named the permanent new host of veteran syndicated game show Jeopardy!, Mike Richards has stepped down from his on-camera role, according to TV Media Watcher Marc Berman.
"It pains me that these past incidents and comments have cast such a shadow on Jeopardy! as we look to start a new chapter," Richard said in a 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."
"Sony Pictures Television will now resume the search for a permanent syndicated host," he continued. "In the meantime, we will be bringing back guest hosts to continue production for the new season, details of which will be announced next week. I want to apologize to each of you for the unwanted negative attention that has come to Jeopardy! over the last few weeks and for the confusion and delays this is now causing. I know I have a lot of work to do to regain your trust and confidence."
Richards has come under fire in recent days for the sexist, anti-Semitic and racist comments he made on a podcast called The Randumb Show, which he hosted from 2013 to 2014, that recently resurfaced.
Richards was also a defendant in a discrimination complaint during his time as the executive producer of The Price is Right.
This past season, of course, Sony Pictures Television opted to temporarily fill the beloved Alex Trek’s hosting role with a parade of guest hosts that, in addition to Richards, included Jeopardy! champions Ken Jennings and Buzzy Cohen,Katie Couric, Dr. Mehmet Oz, NFL great Aaron Rodgers, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker, actress Mayim Bialik, the Today show’s Savannah Guthrie, Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, LeVar Burton, CNBC’s David Faber, and Fox sportscaster Joe Buck.
In a surprise move, Mayim Bailik was also announced as the host of special editions of Jeopardy!
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