It seems the powers that be have finally heard our boisterous cries and have seen fit to put LeVar Burton back on our TV screens in a game show capacity!
As previously reported by The Root in September, following the Jeopardy! casting debacle Burton shared that he and his team were trying to figure out what the right game show for him might be, but nothing had been set in stone at the time. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Burton has been tapped as the host for the upcoming game show Trivial Pursuit, which will be executive produced by eOne, Hasbro, and Burton himself.
“LeVar Burton has been an iconic member of American pop culture for decades from Roots to Reading Rainbow to Star Trek and beyond,” explained Tara Long, President of Global Unscripted Television at 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.”
Added Burton in a statement: “Trivial Pursuit is one of the best-known brands in the gaming universe. I am thrilled to have partnered with Hasbro and eOne to bring this beloved game to market as a premium show for television.”
While a network has yet to be attached as the future home for Trivial Pursuit, this latest development is welcome news after the dumpster fire that ensued during Jeopardy!’s quest to find its new host earlier this year. Despite being a fan-favorite, Burton was ultimately passed over for the show’s now ex-executive producer and ex-host Mike Richards—and, well, we all see how that turned out. (To put it plainly, the man got fired, okay? And for good reason, but I digress.)
I’ll take “Poetic Justice” for $400.