In the wake of Mike Richards vacating the Jeopardy! host position, Mayim Bialik will be filling in for the time being. Finding a permanent replacement for the beloved Alex Trebek has proven even more difficult than the producers of Jeopardy! originally had planned. And with fans keeping a keen eye on the proceedings, the pressure is truly on. 

Trebek hosted Jeopardy! for 37 seasons before his untimely passing due to pancreatic cancer. Following his passing, the show tested a number of temporary hosts in 2021 to find a replacement. The guest hosts included Bialik, former champion Ken Jennings, news anchor Savannah Guthrie, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, beloved star LeVar Burton, and also Mike Richards, the current Executive Producer of the series. Richards was ultimately chosen, with fans convinced he used his EP power to influence the choice

Related: Why People Are So Excited About LeVar Burton Hosting Jeopardy

Variety is reporting that Bialik has been named the temporary host of Jeopardy! now that Mike Richards has exited the position. Richards had already taped a number of episodes before his August 20th resignation, and those will still air for the sake of continuity for the winners of those episodes. Otherwise, Bialik will take the reins for the time being, having already been chosen as host for prime time specials and any spin-offs of the series. She has committed to hosting 15 episodes of the series so far, with future host decisions to be announced later. 

The controversy with Richards' appointment as host was not only because of his status as the Executive Producer of the series. His stepping down is more likely due to backlash from recently revealed comments about women he had made while hosting a podcast during his days as Executive Producer of The Price is Right. These comments came to light right after the news that a number of The Price is Right former models named him in a lawsuit about the treatment of pregnant women on the show. Stepping down from the contested hosting position was likely a move Richards felt he had to make to remove himself from the spotlight.

In what could have been a moment to reinvigorate the series, it seems that the producers of Jeopardy! have instead fumbled the opportunity. The first reason being that they chose, against all logic, the Executive Producer of the show as the new host despite a slew of amazing (and beloved) guest hosts, and now, by remaining indecisive in making a final decision for the hosting gig. Fortunately, Mayim Bialik is a great sport about it all, and is a fan-favorite herself. She should be able to carry the show until they either make her the permanent host or finally find a suitable replacement for Mr. Trebek. 

More: Why Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik & LeVar Burton Should Co-Host Jeopardy!

SOURCE: Variety