Source: MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images / Getty
Actor and all-around good guy LeVar Burton went through some serious drama leading up to and after his guest-hosting stint on “Jeopardy!”, but all of that has paved the way for him to finally become the permanent host of a new game show.
It was announced that the Star Trek: The Next Generation actor will be the host of a game show version of the classic trivia board game Trivial Pursuit. The show, which is currently in development, is being jointly produced through a deal with Burton’s LeVar Burton Entertainment (LBE) and Entertainment One (eOne), who is helping to craft the board game into a game show format. Hasbro, best known for its toys and games, is the parent company of eOne.
“Trivial Pursuit is one of the best-known brands in the gaming universe,” Burton said as the news broke. “I am thrilled to have partnered with Hasbro and eOne to bring this beloved game to market as a premium show for television.” There is no network attached to the show as of yet. “LeVar Burton has been an iconic member of American pop culture for decades from ‘Roots’ to ‘Reading Rainbow’ to ‘Star Trek’ and beyond,” said Tara Long, president of global unscripted television for eOne. “His love for intellectual curiosity paired with his ability to connect with audiences worldwide make him the perfect partner to bring Hasbro’s beloved trivia game to households in a new and exciting way.”
Burton was overwhelmingly one of the favorites to take over hosting Jeopardy! following the death of its beloved longtime host, Alek Trebek, campaigning mightily to get a shot. He would eventually be the last of a series of guest hosts, taking over the show as it aired the week of July 26th to July 30th. The hosting role would be awarded to executive producer Mike Richards before he was fired, and Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings are now sharing the role.
