LeVar Burton Was Reportedly Never Seriously Considered By ‘Jeopardy!’ Executives For Fulltime Hosting Position

August 25, 2021 by Nick Fenley in TV with 0 Comments

LeVar Burton Was Reportedly Never Seriously Considered By ‘Jeopardy!’ Executives For Fulltime Hosting Position

Despite his excitement over the opportunity, LeVar Burton was reportedly never considered for a fulltime Jeopardy! gig.

As you may recall, actor LeVar Burton was one of the guest hosts of Jeopardy! following longtime host Alex Trebek‘s death last year. He had previously expressed his desire to host the show, and the episodes in which he was featured aired last month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x65UlJBojWk

LeVar Burton quickly became a fan favorite amidst the various guest hosts. However, he was ultimately not selected as the permanent host, and the role went to executive producer Mike Richards. Mike Richards soon left the series after his past controversial comments came to light.

Now, reports have begun circulating with claims that network executives never seriously considered LeVar Burton to permanently host Jeopardy! Reportedly, only Mike Richards and guest host Mayim Bialik were legitimately considered for the fulltime role–meaning all other guest hosts were only seen as temporary fill-ins. However, as Mayim Bialik‘s schedule didn’t allow this, Mike Richards ultimately took the role. Resultingly, Jeopardy!‘s hosting gig is still up in the air.

Despite the news, LeVar Burton is reportedly unfazed and harbors no hard feelings. He previously shared an optimistic reaction to not getting the fulltime gig on Twitter:

“I have said many times over these past weeks that no matter the outcome, I’ve won. The outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and fans alike has been incredible! If love is the ultimate blessing and I believe that it is, I am truly blessed beyond measure.”