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Mayim Bialik to guest host 'Jeopardy!' after Mike Richards' exit

Last week, newly named 'Jeopardy!' host Mike Richards quit amid an uproar over past comments he made.

WASHINGTON — Actress Mayim Bialik, well known for her role in the popular sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" and the American television classic "Blossom", will guest host upcoming episodes of "Jeopardy!" 

The news comes after newly named host Mike Richards quit amid controversy over past comments he made. 

Sony Pictures Television announced Monday that Bialik will take the podium long occupied by the late Alex Trebek for three weeks of episodes.

The actress was named earlier in August as the host for "Jeopardy!" prime time specials, which was seen as a consolation prize after Richards was named as primary host for the show, CNN reported

Richards became embroiled in controversy not long after he was officially named to replace the late Alex Trebek as host when controversial comments he made from 2013 - 2014 on his podcast surfaced again. He will remain an executive producer on the show, but won't be involved in the search for a new host, the Hollywood Reporter noted

A report on the website The Ringer revealed demeaning comments about women, Jews and other groups that Richards made several years ago. 

“I will be stepping down as host effective immediately.” Richards said in a note to "Jeopardy!" staff on Friday. 

The Anti-Defamation League called for an investigation into Richards' past comments. 

Sony's news release Monday said other guest hosts would follow Bialik and made no mention of a permanent replacement. 

Credit: Sony Pictures Television
'Jeopardy!' host Mayim Bialik

Trebek joked in 2020 that he wanted Betty White, who was then 98-years-old, to take over for him, "because they want somebody younger, somebody funnier." 

In a 2018 interview, the beloved long-time host of the game show also gave two other names for his possible successor: Los Angeles Kings play-by-play announcer Alex Faust, and CNN legal analyst Laura Coates.

Neither of those choices were involved in guest hosting the show after Trebek's death. 

In 2020, Mike Richards told Entertainment Tonight that he and Trebek never discussed who'd be his replacement, but he recalled Trebek saying a good "Jeopardy!" host "needs to be someone that the audience will respect, that's believable in the role [and] has credibility."  

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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