Jeopardy! has officially announced that its executive producer Mike Richards will become the show’s next host. He will replace the late Alex Trebek, who died at 80 years old following a battle with cancer.
After Trebek passed away, Jeopardy! engaged in a public search for a new host. Along the way, Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Good Morning America Co-Anchor Robin Roberts, actor LeVar Burton and several other celebrities tried out for the role and gained support. In the end, the show opted to find a replacement inside its operator. However, their choice did not come without pushback.
Immediately after reports suggested that Richards would be the next host, critics pointed back to Richards’s dark history in game show television. Over the last decade, he’s been tied to multiple lawsuits alleging that he and his colleagues created hostile work environments and harassed women. Most notably, he was sued on two separate occasions while working for The Price Is Right.
One former model, Brandi Sherwood-Cochran, accused Richards and other producers of creating a hostile working environment while also limiting her work opportunities because she decided to have children. Ultimately, she received an undisclosed settlement. In addition, former The Price Is Right model, Lanisha Cole filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Mike Richards and his former colleague, Adam Sandler. She also received an undisclosed settlement.
Despite pushback from these allegations, Richards has maintained his innocence.
“I want you all to know that the way in which my comments and actions have been characterized in these complaints does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on The Price is Right,” he wrote in a brief statement.
