LeVar Burton Moves Past 'Jeopardy!' To Land A New Game Show Gig
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LeVar Burton has landed a new television gig just months after “Jeopardy!” passed him over.
On Wednesday, Hasbro’s content studio Entertainment One confirmed that Burton had signed on to host a show based on the classic board game Trivial Pursuit. The actor and longtime “Reading Rainbow” host will also serve as one of the show’s executive producers.
Speaking to Variety, Burton called Trivial Pursuit “one of the best-known brands in the gaming universe,” adding that he was “thrilled to have partnered with Hasbro and eOne to bring this beloved game to market as a premium show for television.”
Tara Long, president of global unscripted television at eOne, said in a statement that her company was excited to collaborate with “an iconic member of American pop culture” like Burton on the project.
Hey y’all, this is happening! https://t.co/c1oGz8cMib
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) November 17, 2021
“His love for intellectual curiosity paired with his ability to connect with audiences worldwide make him the perfect partner to bring Hasbro’s beloved trivia game to households in a new and exciting way,” she added.
A release date and a network for the series were not announced.
This summer, Burton was among several stars to guest-host “Jeopardy!” as the show’s producers sought a replacement for Alex Trebek, who died last year.
Burton had once described hosting “Jeopardy!” as his “dream job,” and his guest stint was well received by fans. Still, Mike Richards eventually won the gig.
A slew of controversies from Richards’ past ― including discrimination and harassment lawsuits from his time as an executive producer of “The Price Is Right” ― resurfaced in the media shortly afterward. After just one day on the set, Richards stepped down.
Some fans expressed hope that Burton might get a second chance at hosting “Jeopardy!” full time following Richards’ ignominious departure. Appearing on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” in September, however, Burton said he had moved on.
“The crazy thing is that when you set your sights on something, you know, they say be careful of what you wish for, because what I found out is that it wasn’t the thing that I wanted after all,” he said. “What I wanted was to compete. I mean, I wanted the job, but then when I didn’t get it, it was like, ‘Well, OK, what’s next?’”
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
