Jeopardy! hosting duties reportedly to be split between Mike Richards and actress Mayim Bialik

Sony Pictures Television is set to announce that, for the first time ever, Jeopardy! hosting duties will be shared between two hosts — Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards and The Big Bang Theory actress Mayim Bialik, reports The Daily Beast.

Richards will reportedly host the daily syndicated program while Bialik will act as the face of primetime and spin-off specials, the first of which will be the Jeopardy! National College Championship on ABC.

The competition to replace longtime host Alex Trebek was contentious, and included stars like Katie Couric, Aaron Rodgers, Robin Roberts, and LeVar Burton. Frontrunner Richards recently himself came under fire for his involvement in past discrimination lawsuits at The Price is Right, as well as for the perception that, as Jeopardy! executive producer, he essentially gave himself the gig.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

Richards told the show's staff on Monday that he was "humbled and deeply honored" to be considered for the role, and that the way he is characterized in the discrimination controversy "does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on The Price is Right." Read more at The Daily Beast.