It has been less than a year since long-time “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek died of cancer. He was a well liked host and definitely left big shoes to fill.

In an attempt to find a replacement host, the executive producers of the show decided to audition multiple potential hosts by letting them each host the show for a week or two at a time. Greatest of All Time winner Ken Jennings was the first guest host.

Jennings’ hosting stint was not without controversy. Some of his old tweets resurfaced including one from 2014 where he wrote, “Nothing sadder than a hot person in a wheelchair.” Jennings has since apologized for the insensitive tweets, which didn’t seem to hurt his chances of earning the hosting gig.

“Jeopardy!” executive producer Mike Richards joined the show several months before Trebek passed away. He led the search for a new host, and he actually ended up filling in at the last minute as a guest host. Fans of the show called Richards an “overnight sensation.”

Watch the video below to learn more about Richards’ hosting gig as well as some of the other guest hosts.

 

After hosting “Jeopardy!” Richards said that he had no interest in becoming the show’s permanent host, but it seems that he has changed his mind. According to Variety, Richards is in “advanced negotiations” to become the next permanent host of the show; however, the deal is not finalized. According to a source, other candidates are still being considered.

This would not be Richards first time hosting a show. He was perviously the host of the series “Divided” and “The Pyramid.” Earlier in his career, he hosted the shows “High School Reunion” and “Beauty and the Geek.”

More recently, Richards has been behind the scenes working as an executive producer. He was hired as co-executive producer on the show “The Price Is Right” in 2008. The following year, he became executive producer of “Let’s Make a Deal.” He has also produced “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

News that Richards may be the next permanent host of “Jeopardy!” was met with controversy. When Richards was an executive producer on “The Price Is Right,” former models from the show filed two different discrimination lawsuits against the show. Richards was mentioned in both complaints but only featured as a defendant in one complaint. Both cases were ultimately settled. In one case, former model Brandi Cochran was awarded $8.5 million.

Do you think the controversy surrounding Richards will motivate Sony to choose a different host for “Jeopardy!”? Who do you think should be the next host of “Jeopardy!”?