Benzinga | Aug 5, 2021 09:59AM EDT

'Jeopardy!' Exec Producer Mike Richards Is The Front-Runner To Replace Alex Trebek As Host

"Jeopardy!" executive producer Mike Richards is reportedly in advanced negotiations with Sony Pictures Television, a division of Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY) to inherit the full-time hosting position of the long-running game show.

What Happened: After the death of longtime host Alex Trebek last November, Sony kept "Jeopardy!" on the air with a rotating series of celebrity guest hosts. According to a Variety report, Sony has strongly considered three of the guest hosts to as the permanent replacement to Trebek: Richards, actress Mayim Bialik and former contestant Buzzy Cohen.

The Variety report cited an unnamed spokesperson for Sony who said discussions were ongoing with multiple candidates, but another unnamed "source close to the situation" insisted Richards was the front-runner to take the show's hosting reins.

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How It Happened: Richards was the second guest host to fill the void left by Trebek's death, following "Jeopardy!" champion Ken Jennings at the podium.

While Richards is no stranger to on-camera work -- he previously hosted the game shows "Divided" and "The Pyramid" and the reality television programs "High School Reunion" and "Beauty and the Geek" -- his star wattage was pale in comparison to other "Jeopardy!" guest hosts including Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Aaron Rodgers.

Among the guest hosts, LeVar Burton has openly stated his interest in succeeding Trebek. However, Burton was not named among the candidates favored by Sony.

Photo courtesy Sony Pictures Television.