Who is: the likely next Jeopardy! host? After a lengthy process, it appears that fans have their answer.
A source connected to the venerable game show confirms to E! News that Mike Richards, who joined Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune as executive producer last year, is in the process of ironing out his deal to succeed the late Alex Trebek as permanent host of the trivia series.
The insider tells E! News that the job has been Mike’s to lose from the start, and that no other candidate was offered the role. Mike will fill the big shoes of Alex, who hosted Jeopardy! for 36 years and passed away in November 2020 following his battle with pancreatic cancer.
“Mike wanted this job since he joined Jeopardy!,” the source shares. “He has been meeting with the key players at the production company and expressed his desire to expand his role, becoming both the showrunner and host.”
The insider continues, “Mike has been open throughout his career that he views himself as a Dick Clark or Ryan Seacrest type of figure who is capable of both running and hosting a show.”