Just over a week after being named Alex Trebek’s Jeopardy! successor, executive producer Mike Richards has stepped away from the role.
Richards got the job after a rotation of celebrities guest-hosted Jeopardy!, including fan favorites like LeVar Burton and Ken Jennings. His hiring was met with confusion and skepticism by longtime fans of the program, and unearthed allegations of toxic leadership during his time at The Price is Right.
On August 18, The Ringer published interviews with multiple staffers who worked with Richards over the years, as well as inappropriate comments made on his own podcast from 2013-2014. He announced he would give up hosting two days later.
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“It pains me that these past incidents and comments have cast such a shadow on Jeopardy! as we look to start a new chapter,” Richards wrote in a statement. “…it has become clear that moving forward as host would be too much of a distraction for our fans and not the right move for the show.”
Jeopardy! will return to guest hosts in the meantime while the search for a permanent syndicated host resumes or even starts over. Sony confirmed that Richards will stay on as executive producer and issued the following statement:
We support Mike’s decision to step down as host. We were surprised this week to learn of Mike’s 2013/2014 podcast and the offensive language he used in the past. We have spoken with him about our concerns and our expectations moving forward.
Mike has been with us for the last two years and has led the Jeopardy! team through the most challenging time the show has ever experienced. It is our hope that as EP he will continue to do so with professionalism and respect.
Updated 11:26 a.m. EST with Sony statement.
