‘Jeopardy’ Taps Michael Davies as Permanent Showrunner

It’s official: Michael Davies is the new showrunner of Jeopardy.

The Embassy Row president announced in blog post Thursday that he has accepted producer Sony Pictures Television’s offer to become the permanent replacement for ousted showrunner Mike Richards.

“Today, I am delighted to announce that I have accepted Sony’s offer to become the show’s full time executive producer,” Davies wrote on the Jeopardy blog. “I am both honored and humbled by the faith the studio and the staff have put in me. Over the next few months, the scope of our plans will become clear. But, for now I just want to thank everyone in the Jeopardy! community for your phenomenal support.”

Davies, whose exec producing credits include Who Wants to be a Millionaire and Talking Dead, was appointed interim showrunner/exec producer Aug. 31 after Richards was ousted from the role following a series of scandals.

Richards was tapped as executive producer and showrunner of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune in 2019. He was announced as the late Alex Trebek’s replacement in August, after which press — including THR — reported on the previous discrimination lawsuits he was involved in during his time as executive producer on The Price Is Right. Other reports included the crude and offensive jokes he made during a short-lived podcast he hosted from 2013-14. Richards filmed one day — a week’s worth of Jeopardy! episodes — before stepping down as host. Sony fired him as showrunner not long afterward.

Bellamie Blackstone was named as showrunner of Wheel of Fortune last month.

As for the hosting gig, Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings will continue to share those duties for the remainder of season 38. The season ends in July, after which Sony is expected to make a decision on a permanent full-time host for the syndicated trivia show.