The Price Is Right Shakeup: Primetime Episodes Shuffled

The Price Is Right is undergoing another shakeup. The primetime episodes are getting shuffled around. Viewers are upset over the schedule change for the night episodes. Read on to learn more.

The Price Is Right At Night – Primetime Shakeup

The daytime version of The Price Is Right is on a summer break. Earlier this month, fans were confused when they saw Drew Carey dressed in a Halloween costume.

The game show aired a Halloween episode from 2023. Some viewers didn’t get the memo that the program took a break after the Fourth of July.

Now, there’s another schedule shakeup. This time, it’s happening to the nighttime episodes of The Price Is Right. The game show could be impacted by football season.

On Monday, July 22, fans learned the premiere date for the upcoming season of the nighttime episodes, which became a fixture on primetime television.

“The Price Is Right at Night returns on September 23rd!” one fan posted the news on Reddit.

Viewers noticed an adjustment to the schedule. The Price Is Right at Night will air on Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. It previously aired on Wednesday nights in that time slot. However, the new time slot could cause issues with the show. Football starts in September.

Games air on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays. This could impact the programming. Many of the games go into overtime. The game show even plans to rerun a special from February 7, 2024, which was the Super Bowl program. Fans are wondering why producers are taking this scheduling risk.

The Price Is Right – Makes Big Scheduling Risk

The Price Is Right is one of the most popular game shows in the daytime. It attracts between 3 to 4 million viewers.

TPIR at Night amassed over 4.3 million viewers with a 0.5 demo rating in February 2024. CBS is making a mistake by putting The Price Is Right at Night up against Monday Night Football on NBC.

“I don’t know why CBS is moving the night shows to Monday night? They are now competing head-to-head with NFL Monday Night Football,” one fan wrote.

“That’s definitely unfair,” another user noted.

The Price Is Right at Night first aired in 2016. At the time, it featured cast members from CBS game shows, such as Big Brother, The Amazing Race, and Survivor.

It was revamped in 2019 with the cast of the SEAL Team. TPIR at Night became a hit with viewers who loved the massive cash and prizes.

What are your thoughts on this schedule shakeup? Do you agree it’s unfair that The Price Is Right at Night was moved to Monday nights? Sound off below in the comment section.

Ariana Grande had an odd request from ‘The Voice’ production team and fans are saying the same thing

Ariana Grande in a screenshot from ‘The Voice’ (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Archie Bright)

Ariana Grande had a very brief but significant stint as the mentor on ‘The Voice.’ The pop star, who served as a coach for Season 21, grabbed major headlines for her warm and emotionally intelligent mentorship.

However, there was an unexpected instance when the Grammy winner reportedly had the air conditioning turned off on ‘The Voice’ set. While this revelation may seem minor at first, it is actually connected to her best-performing film, ‘Wicked.’
Ariana Grande performs live in concert during Good Morning America’s 2016 Summer Concert Series at Rumsey Playfield in New York City (Image Source: FilmMagic | Photo by Debra L Rothenberg) 
During her Variety ‘Actors on Actors’ conversation with Paul Mescal, Grande reflected on the intense preparation she underwent before auditioning for Wicked, including a unique move during her time on ‘The Voice,’ as per NBC. “I just kind of trusted that I had done the work,” Grande said. “I had prepared as much as I possibly could have. I had a whole pink section in my closet that I had, you know, purchased little things to have a Galinda-fied section. I did everything I possibly could; I left it all. And I knew that if it wasn’t meant to be, that’s OK.” She further revealed that her preparation even included cutting the A/C on ‘The Voice’ set to protect her vocals, all in anticipation of landing the role of Galinda Upland.

“I was going from my vocal coach to my acting coach to doing ‘The Voice’ live shows,” Grande told Mescal. The night before her life-changing audition for Glinda, she grew concerned that the cold set might impact her voice. “I remember I was so nervous about my voice being in good shape because my audition was the next day.” To protect her voice, she made a unique request as she revealed, “I asked them to cut the air conditioning because it was so cold…” she said.

Understanding how dry, cold air can affect vocal health, she added, “I asked [The Voice production] to turn it off just because I had to sing opera the next day. It’s very high, and I had to sing ‘No One Mourns the Wicked.’ Though production obliged, Grande quickly noticed reactions around her. “I was very self-conscious about it,” she admitted with a laugh. “People started to notice. I was like, ‘I’m sorry, it’s my fault.’ I was like, ‘So sorry, I’m going in for this audition’.”

Talking about Grande’s ‘The Voice’ journey, her team failed to make it to the finale. After joining the show, Grande quickly bonded with fellow coaches Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson. Their bond grew so much closer that she even released a Christmas duet with Clarkson titled ‘Santa, Can’t You Hear Me.’ She also received guidance from friend Kristin Chenoweth, who mentored Team Ariana earlier in the season, as per ScreenRant.

On Twitter, Grande shared her appreciation for the experience, writing, “To have met & worked with such brilliant artists is the greatest gift and honor of all of this. I can’t believe there wasn’t a time I didn’t know you all.” Despite the close bond, her last remaining team members, father-daughter duo Jim & Sasha Allen, were eliminated, meaning Grande would not be part of the season finale.

‘America’s Got Talent’ made one simple move that left both ‘American Idol’ and ‘The Voice’ in the dust

Judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Simon Cowell on ‘AGT’ Season 18 (Instagram/@simoncowell)

Over the past 25 years, reality television has gained a lot of prominence, with a slew of new shows popping up every year. While there is an argument to be made that the future outshines the past, the original shows that set the precedent continue to rage on.

The big three among these are ‘The Voice’, ‘American Idol’, and ‘America’s Got Talent’. While ‘The Voice’ and ‘Idol’ were simply meant to be singing shows, ‘AGT’ changed the whole game back when it first premiered. There was nothing like ‘AGT’, breaking all the rules, and well, making some.

There was no set rule for what talent you could present; if the judges and the audience liked it, it went, which is what made it popular. ‘Idol’ can be considered a veteran amongst the three, as it premiered in 2002, followed by Simon Cowell’s brainchild, which premiered in 2006.

Among all this chaos, ‘The Voice’ found its voice, literally, in 2011 as it came up with the concept of blind auditions. It was clear that to make it as a reality TV show, you either needed to have a killer gimmick or be so old of a show that you already had a dedicated fanbase.

However, as time has passed, the fanfare for ‘Idol’ and ‘The Voice’ has reduced to quite an extent. While a constant tussle continues between the viewership ratings of ‘The Voice’ and ‘Idol’, the latter usually surpasses ‘The Voice’ when it comes to viewership ratings, as reported by Idol Chatter.

Enter ‘AGT’ with a concept that inculcates singing with literally everything else; the show has limitless opportunities. That said, ‘AGT’ has the unique concept of the red buzzer, which allows the judges to stop the performance if it’s not up to the mark, as reported by Collider.

This helps keep the pace of the show fast-paced and doesn’t waste the viewer’s time, and makes for good television, where there might be instances where one judge presses the red buzzer while the others don’t.

There’s a lot that can be done with such a concept. That is, however, not the case with the singing shows, as viewers are forced to slog through performances no matter how boring they are. While online forums often argue about how much power Simon Cowell holds, certain boons and curses come with such power.

Thankfully, the power that Cowell holds is also shared by the other judges, as they have free rein to press the red buzzer if they’re not satisfied with the performance.

Each judge also gets to press the Golden Buzzer twice in a season. The Golden Buzzer is yet another interesting addition to the show, which explores the opposite spectrum of the red buzzer. So you have a button that can be pressed for absolutely horrendous performances, and you have a buzzer that can be pressed for the best performances and holds the power to change lives.

As of April 2025, ‘AGT’ continues to outperform both ‘American Idol’ and ‘The Voice’ in total viewership. The 19th season of ‘AGT’ averaged approximately 4.78 million viewers per episode, according to Showbiz.

In contrast, ‘American Idol’ experienced an 18% decline in its key 18–49 demographic and a 2.73% drop in total viewership during its season debut. Meanwhile, ‘The Voice’ has maintained steady ratings, with a notable peak of 46.8 million viewers following its Super Bowl lead-in. Despite this, AGT’s consistent performance underscores its broad appeal and super-effective format.

Sheryl Crow finally reveals why she turned down a red chair on ‘The Voice’: ‘I did not want…’

Sheryl Crow attends the #BlogHer16 Experts Among Us Conference in Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE on August 5, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images/ Photo by Araya Doheny)

Sheryl Crow, now a mega mentor on ‘The Voice’ season 27, was once the first choice as a judge for the show’s premiere season.

Being a former coach of ‘The Voice UK’ and ‘The Voice Australia,’ it is no surprise that ‘The Voice US’ approached her for its premiere season. However, what came as a surprise was that the ‘Soak Up the Sun’ singer turned the offer down. In a recent interview with People, Crow revealed the reason for not making it to the coaches’ seat on the show: “I had a newborn and did not want to move back to L.A.,” she said, before quickly adding, “Actually, that’s not true. He [son Levi] was about 2 years old, and I didn’t want to move back to L.A., so I didn’t do it. And I have not entertained it since then because we have a busy life here, and normalcy is lovely.”

A mom of two sons (15-year-old Levi and 18-year-old Wyatt) told the outlet how much she enjoyed her time as a mentor: “I loved mentoring. It was a blast, and I adore Kelsea Ballerini.” Even though family had been her priority at the time, Crow once also shared in a separate interview how her kids had been a source of inspiration in her musical journey: “I don’t know that either one of them really wants to do that, but they’re both musical, and I’m one of those obnoxious parents who’s like, ‘You have to take piano. Do not argue with me about it’.”

She even added, “But my 15-year-old, he’s got a great ear and can play really well,” she continued. “I think he will always tinker, but he wants to be a marine biologist, so I don’t know how to compete with that — I don’t even know what they do. So I’m happy for him to go save the reefs. That’s what he wants to do.” Crow also shared that she enjoys introducing them to various genres of music. “They’re just like, ‘Mom, what is this old music?’ But they go around humming it and singing it. My 15-year-old is always like, ‘I got sunshine…” She continued, “So, I feel like I’m doing the right thing. I grew up with it, and my 15-year-old is a great bass player, and he’s learning James Jamerson just like I did.”

Despite her turning down the gig, the 9-time Grammy Award winner has been associated with ‘The Voice’ in some way or another. According to Yahoo, in Season 4, Crow appeared on the show as an advisor for Blake Shelton in the Battle Round.

Then she performed on the show’s live finale in season 8 as a guest performer, where she sang Timbaland’s ‘Give It To Me’ with Joshua Davis, as reported by Deadline.

And now, the show introduced her as a mega mentor alongside LeAnn Rimes during episode 12, helping the remaining 27 contestants move ahead on the show.

Besides appearing on the show, Crow is also actively touring for live concerts, according to Songkick. Her next tour is scheduled on 23rd May at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Boston and then on 7th June at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in Las Vegas.

Kelsea Ballerini’s ‘Voice’ elimination move didn’t go over well with fans — but she’s got a defense ready

Screenshot of Kelsea Ballerini from an episode of ‘The Voice’ Season 27 (Cover Image Source: YouTube | The Voice)

From time to time, ‘The Voice’ coaches find themselves in a difficult spot on the NBC singing show. In the May 12 episode of ‘The Voice’, judges Adam Levine, John Legend, Kelsea Ballerini, and Michael Bublé were thrilled to learn about the new Super Save option. This twist allowed each coach to bring back one eliminated contestant. Levine selected Connor James, Bublé chose Kaiya Hamilton, Legend picked Olivia Kuper-Harris, and Ballerini brought back Derby singer Jaelen Johnston. For context, Johnston had previously been eliminated when Ballerini opted for Iris Herrera and Alanna Lynise instead, a decision that left fans disappointed.

During an interview with Parade which took place after the episode aired, Ballerini defended her decision to choose Herrera and Lynise initially by saying, “As much as I represent country, I want to represent good music and I want to represent artists that are storytellers, and I believe Alanna and Iris to be two of the best on the show that do that. My goal as a coach was never to only support country artists, it was just to support great artists.”

Speaking of her decision, the ‘Love Me Like You Mean It’ hitmaker further elaborated, “Sometimes there’s an artist that just has such a slam dunk of a performance on that stage that it’s undeniable, even if that’s not what you thought going into it, and then sometimes you really buy into the growth that you’ve seen of the artist and you believe that they can continue to show up well. If Jaelen were to win, I would not be surprised at all. Then everybody would be like, ‘Kelsea, we told you so.’ And I’d be like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m a newbie here.’”

In a separate interview with People magazine, Ballerini stated that it was difficult for her to decide when asked to pick her artists for the Live Shows. Additionally, Ballerini also mentioned that she was glad that she got the opportunity to bring back Johnston through the Super Save option. “He’s the only country artist on the show still, and he’s such a storyteller and he has grown so much even in his rehearsal for this, for this show. He’s just been working his butt off and he’s so talented, so I’m glad I got to,” Ballerini said.

While shedding light on his decision, Levine went on to say, “There’s no right or wrong answer, right? So someone’s going home, someone’s gonna be disappointed, and I can’t make a decision for anybody other than what I think is best.” Eventually, the talented artists who have made it to the finale of ‘The Voice’ Season 27 are as follows: Lucia Flores Wiseman from Team Adam, Renzo from Team Legend, Jadyn Cree from Team Bublé, Jaelen Johnston from Team Kelsea, and Adam David from Team Bublé. And now, these top 5 finalists are ready to take over the stage for one last time during the grand finale set to air in two parts on May 19 and May 20, respectively.

Blake Shelton turned down big money — says only one thing could bring him back to ‘The Voice’

Blake Shelton and Adam Levine at ‘The Voice’ panel at The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa in Pasadena, California. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Frederick M. Brown)

Adam Levine and Blake Shelton’s playful banter was one of the most loved aspects of ‘The Voice.’ With Levine set to appear in Season 28, speculations were rife that Shelton may also return, making way for the fan-favorite duo’s playful jokes. However, reports suggest that the country singer has rejected the idea of a ‘The Voice’ comeback, even though he was offered a hefty paycheck.

 
(L-R) Adam Levine and Blake Shelton speak on stage at Blake Shelton’s Star Ceremony on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame in Hollywood, California. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Frazer Harrison)
Shelton, who helped launch ‘The Voice’ in 2011 and stayed through season 23, left in 2023 to focus on family and other projects. Executives, however, were reportedly eager to bring him back for season 29, ideally alongside longtime frenemy and fan-favorite Levine. According to The US Sun, “They offered both Blake and Adam more money, a lot more, to get them back together and do a season together.” While “it didn’t work out for season 29,” an insider teased, “stay tuned, it might happen sooner than later.”

The source further added, “It’d be a win/win for production and the fans. Their chemistry is unmatched. [The show] hasn’t been able to replicate it with anyone else since.”  At the grand opening of Ole Red Las Vegas, Shelton also talked about the possibility of his return to the show during a chat with ET’s Cassie DiLaura. “I miss the people. I mean, those people became like family to me, literally from the crew all the way up to the producers of the show. I was with them more than I was with my family… I miss that,” Shelton said, but admitted he doesn’t “miss the job at all.”

The singer said, “I totally needed a break from that, because if I wasn’t into it, then it wasn’t good for whoever was on my team. I don’t want to be someone who’s just going through the motions. Those artists need somebody fighting for them.” Shelton, who had nine wins during his tenure, added, “The second I started feeling like, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t even remember what season this is anymore. Who are the coaches on this season?’ [I knew that] I needed [to get] away from here.”

Since leaving ‘The Voice,’ Shelton said, “Every day feels a little bit better,” and added, “I feel better about that decision.” Still, there’s one scenario that could lure him back, if NBC reunited the original four coaches, Levine, Christina Aguilera, and CeeLo Green. “If they were ever able to put together the original four coaches again, maybe [I’d return] for one season, a one-off,” he shared. Shelton continued, “That would be fun for me… That would be something I would be interested in doing.”

Though he might not sit in the coach’s chair again, Shelton remains grateful for his time on the show, especially since it’s where he met his wife, Gwen Stefani. “The first season she was on ‘The Voice’ we met [but] we really didn’t talk that much,” he recalled, while adding, “If you would’ve told me the first season that we met that that was going to happen, I would’ve been like, ‘No, we actually don’t even have anything to even talk about. What are you talking about?’ It’s crazy how things work out.”

Reba McEntire calls Niall Horan ‘wild man’ after he tries to block her on ‘The Voice’ with hilarious prank

Screenshot of Reba McEntire and Niall Horan from an episode of ‘The Voice’ (Cover Image Source: YouTube | The Voice)

It appears that ‘The Voice’ coach Niall Horan likes to play pranks on his fellow judges. During the grand premiere of Season 24, the former One Direction member engaged in funny banter with Reba McEntire. In the episode, both McEntire and Horan wanted to get the singer Jordan Rainer on their teams. At that point, Rainer stunned the esteemed judges Gwen Stefani, John Legend, Horan, and McEntire with her beautiful rendition of McEntire’s hit track ‘Fancy.’ When Horan was asked to share his feedback on Rainer’s performance, he quipped, “When we turned, and it all matched up, the energy in your vocal to the energy in your performance, the sunglasses, the hat,” to which Rainer responded, “I wear these because it bothers my mom.”

 

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Bài viết do NBC’s The Voice (@nbcthevoice) chia sẻ

Horan further added, “Being Irish, there’s an element of our music that really feeds into country music. A lot of folk, a lot of those finger pricks. I’ve really fallen in country music, and you are definitely a country star. It would be an absolute honor to work with you.” Soon after, McEntire entered the conversation and told the budding singer, “Well, if you choose me as your coach, you know we’d have a blast.”

https://youtu.be/yIJ2yMywPt4

Then, Horan revealed a hidden weapon that had McEntire screaming. Before the season, Horan received a lovely gift from Blake Shelton: a button of pre-recorded praises that would tell the new artists to join Team Niall. Every time McEntire tried to interact with Rainer, Horan would hit the button, which spat out phrases like “Niall is like a son to me,” and “Niall is a global superstar.” According to NBC, McEntire asked Horan, “How much did you pay him?” On the other hand, Stefani went on to say, “I’m so mad at him right now.”

https://youtu.be/U7g_thFot5I

While gushing over his strong bond with Shelton, Horan said, “I told you our relationship was strong. Sorry, Reba. Sorry, go.” Then, McEntire exclaimed, “We would be having a lot of fun picking the songs together cause we do.” Right after, Horan pressed the handy-dandy Blake Button again, which said, “Niall’s an attractive guy.” At that point, the judges as well as the whole studio audience burst out into laughter.

https://youtu.be/kA8HPeqmCEI

The Queen of Country was done with Horan’s prank, and she hopped out of her iconic red seat and moved towards Horan’s chair to block the Blake button. While standing in front of Horan’s seat, McEntire said, “We would have so much fun together. We would have fun together, reminisce about old times.” At that moment, McEntire looked at Horan and told him, “I am the queen, you cannot speak!”

 

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However, Horan managed to sneak past McEntire for one last button press, as Shelton’s voice echoed across the studio, “There’s something super charming about Niall.” Then, McEntire told Rainer, “We would have such a good time together talking about old times in Atoka, Oklahoma, and I would keep you away from Niall the whole time, because he’s a wild man!” Eventually, Rainer picked McEntire as her coach. Rainer made it to the semifinals of the NBC singing competition, but she failed to clinch the winner’s title.

Jeopardy!’s Ken Jennings ‘understands’ why Mayim Bialik was fired because ‘there’s a reason shows don’t have two hosts’

KEN Jennings has stood by Jeopardy!’s decision to fire Mayim Bialik in a bombshell interview on Friday.

The Big Bang Theory actress was abruptly let go from Jeopardy! in December, making the former champion the sole host.

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Ken Jennings spoke at length about Mayim Bialik’s Jeopardy!’s dismissal for the first timeCredit: 2023 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

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He said, ‘I really enjoyed Mayim’s hosting’ but ‘there’s a reason why TV shows don’t tend to have two hosts’Credit: Getty
Ken, 49, has finally spoken at length about the huge shakeup in a new interview with USA Today.

Ken was asked about showrunner Michael Davies recently saying he was “forced” into having two hosts and that the G.O.A.T contestant “really won the job.”

Ken told the outlet, “I saw that, and I think he was right.”

“He [Michael Davies] talked about how Jeopardy! is a symbol of consistency and reliability for a lot of our viewers.

“It’s part of the ritual of their day, and they want to tune in and know what they’re going to see and not wonder, ‘Oh, which host do I see tonight?’

“And I do understand that,” the host continued.

‘TV SHOWS DON’T HAVE TWO HOSTS’

Ken added, “I’m not blowing smoke here. I really enjoyed Mayim’s hosting.

“You could tell she was just a born performer, very confident on stage in a way that I was not at first.

“I learned a lot from watching her, and I really enjoyed her hosting. But I do understand – there’s a reason why TV shows don’t tend to have two hosts.”

He also said the dual-host model was a “non-intuitive way to set up the ritual of peoples’ day” and also said that since Mayim’s departure, they haven’t spoken.

Ken was also asked about the idea of diversifying the game show with other hosts for specials in the future.

“Agree 100%. I love that I get to host Jeopardy! and it’s my dream job, but we have seen straight, middle-aged white guys host Jeopardy! for decades.

“It’s kind of been done, and I do feel like some of the criticism that Mayim got was clearly misogynistic.

“It was people who were not there to see a woman host Jeopardy! and whether they understood that about their soul or not, they were not ready to accept a woman in that position of authority.”

Ken’s interview comes on the day of the 2024 Tournament of Champions premiere, with an unprecedented playing field of 27 contestants starting Friday, February 23.

“We know there have been a lot of tournaments. We are sympathetic with tournament overload, but this is one we’re really excited about,” Ken concluded.

This is only the second time Ken has spoken about Mayim’s departure, and the first time he’s done so at length.

He earlier told The Hollywood Reporter he was caught off guard by the news and is going to “miss her.”

BYE-ALIK

On December 15, 2023, Mayim broke the Internet when she announced that she was fired from Jeopardy! personally on Instagram.

“As the Holiday break begins in Hollywood, I have some Jeopardy! news,” she began her post.

“Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!

“I am incredibly honored to have been nominated for a primetime Emmy for hosting this year and am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the Jeopardy! family.

“For all of you who have supported me through this journey and to the fans, contestants, writers, staff of America’s favorite quiz show, thank you.”

JEOPARDY!’S STATEMENT

About an hour later, the official Jeopardy! Instagram page confirmed the news.

“We have made the decision to have one host for the syndicated show next season to maintain continuity for our viewers,” the statement said.

They went on to say that Ken, 49, will be the sole host of the show.

“We are truly grateful for all of Mayim’s contributions to Jeopardy!, and we hope to work with her in the future on primetime specials,” the game show wrote.

Mayim has since removed “co-host @jeopardy” from her Instagram bio.

Mayim Bialik’s statement that sent shockwaves across the internet In December

Jeopardy!’s statement about Mayim’s firing which came an hour later

MAYIM UNLIKELY TO EVER RETURN

Ken and Mayim were named co-hosts by Davies in the summer of 2022 before Season 39.

Jeopardy! didn’t further address her exit after the bombshell news, but other reports have revealed what went wrong for the star.

Sources have claimed Mayim’s monthslong hiatus while still under her $4 million annual contract was a major reason behind her firing.

The actress hadn’t been on set since last May, nor for any part of the ongoing Season 40.

She walked out with the Writers Guild of America when they went on strike.

As the actress’ absence dragged on through the summer, questions began to swirl around her future with the franchise.

The speculation grew in August when Jeopardy! released an official new poster celebrating the show’s prior season that featured Ken but not Mayim.

Then, Jeopardy! dropped a poster of Ken front and center for Celebrity Jeopardy!, previously hosted by Mayim as her distance grew.

Sources earlier claimed that Mayim’s refusal to work during the strike didn’t upset the bosses – instead, it prompted them to rethink their dual host system, ultimately leading to her departure.

“The bosses weren’t mad when Mayim refused to work during this year’s strike,” sources told TMZ.

Instead, they claimed that her hiatus “opened executives’ eyes about their dual host system, and that’s why they moved on.”

“Mayim stepping away gave Ken an opportunity, and he took it and ran with it, improving his hosting skills while she was away,” they said.

Sources also said that Sony planned to let Mayim go at the start of the next season.

“Sony recently informed her that her services won’t be needed next season.

“She was offered the chance to stay on for the rest of this season, but she said no thanks,” the report claimed.

They wanted to keep the door open for her, and offered a position in the future on Celebrity Jeopardy! but she pushed back.

It was claimed that she demanded an all-or-nothing approach, not wanting to be confined to only Celebrity Jeopardy!

When Sony said no to her pushback, she refused to participate further, instead dropping her announcement “without consulting” the show.

At this point, it’s unlikely that a scorned Mayim will return to the franchise in any fashion.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER’S STATEMENT

Earlier in February, showrunner Davies spoke about the decision for the first time on the “Unscripted Storytellers” panel at the 2024 Television Critics Association’s winter press tour.

“When I took over the show, we were really forced into that situation from everything that happened before, the guest-hosting period,” Davies said on Saturday.

“Over the past two and a half seasons, what we’ve heard from a lot of from television stations and other interested parties is that they wanted more consistency. They wanted a single host.”

The game show rotated in multiple guest hosts following iconic host Alex Trebek’s died at the age of 80 in 2020 after battling pancreatic cancer before finally settling on Ken and Mayim.

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Bialik has since removed ‘co-host’ from her Instagram bio and it’s unlikely she’ll return since she didn’t want to be relegated to only spinoffsCredit: Getty

Steve Harvey’s Secret Is Out: Game Show Host Is a Pretty Good Gig, Even for A-Listers

Those of us who grew up with “Sesame Street” still remember Guy Smiley, the stereotypical game show host as originally voiced by Jim Henson. Guy was loud, boisterous and the host of everything from “Here Is Your Life” and “Beat the Time” to “Name That Sound!”

Guy Smiley served a purpose for “Sesame Street,” and so did real-life game show hosts. It was a very specific (and also, very non-diverse) group: Bob Barker, Monty Hall, Jack Berry, Bill Cullen, Wink Martindale, Bob Eubanks, Richard Dawson, Gene Rayburn, Alex Trebek and many more. As he retires, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak may be the last of that string of game show hosts pretty much only known for being a game show host. (Sure, some of them were actors and many of them came from radio or other TV roles, but they’ll always be remembered first and foremost for their hosting gig.)

Game show host is a tough job, requiring a lot of skill to juggle the gameplay, keep the contestants involved and the audience entertained. But as parodies like “Guy Smiley” hint at, there’s also a cheese factor to it. That’s why, when Steve Harvey first took over “Family Feud” in 2010, he endured a fair amount of ribbing from pals and fellow comedians.

“You would not believe the calls I was getting from guys that I knew,” Harvey tells me. “’Steve, you’re doing a game show, man? Getting into that cornball business?’ Well, do you know the checks they’re writing for this cornball business if you can take this cornball business and turn it into a hit?”

Drew Carey took over “The Price is Right” in 2007 and Wayne Brady began hosting “Let’s Make a Deal” in 2009. After Harvey joined their ranks, the flood gates opened. Now, almost every game show, particularly in primetime, is fronted by a star who’s doing this as a side hustle. Rob Lowe (“The Floor”), Jane Lynch (“The Weakest Link”), Elizabeth Banks (“Press Your Luck”), Keke Palmer (“Password”), RuPaul (“Lingo”), Jimmy Kimmel (“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”) and Jimmy Fallon (“That’s My Jam”), just to name a few.

“They found out,” Harvey says. “Everybody now tries to find that magic. Look at all the game shows, they went and got somebody with some face recognition.”

The rise of the superstar game show host coincides with the elevation of the genre to the primetime Emmys, which began last year as part of an ongoing realignment between the L.A.-based Television Academy and New York’s National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Perhaps the most high-profile game shows are now in primetime anyway, so the move made sense.

Last year, “Jeopardy!” — which it should be noted, isn’t hosted by a Hollywood star, but rather by the show’s famed long-running champ Ken Jennings — won the Emmy for game show, over “Family Feud,” “The Price Is Right,” “That’s My Jam” and “Wheel of Fortune.”

“I think the key to being a great host is you’ve got to be gracious; you’ve got to be willing to laugh at yourself,” says Harvey, who also hosts “Celebrity Family Feud” and “Judge Steve Harvey” for ABC. “But then you’ve got to know the line of how far you can push the joke with a contestant. You can’t make the audience think you’re being harsh with them. But at the same time, you’ve got to have fun with them.”

But really, Harvey has the secret to why game shows are truly having a moment right now: In an era when there aren’t many comedies in primetime, game shows are the new sitcom.

“I’ve taken a game show and turned it into a comedy show, really,” he says. “’Family Feud’ is a show about the survey of what a hundred people think. Nobody cares what a hundred people think anymore, because we’ve got Google, we’ve got YouTube, we can find out what you think. They gave me the leeway to do it my way, so it’s not so much the question and answers, it’s more the relationship between the contestant and the host. And that’s what makes it pretty fun.”

Time to brush up on your comedy skills, Guy Smiley.

Wheel of Fortune fans threaten to boycott show over ‘disappointing’ change after Ryan Seacrest’s rocky start as host

WHEEL of Fortune has received more backlash after Ryan Seacrest’s shaky start this week.

Fans of the game show pointed out the set on an Instagram post and said they might boycott the show because of it.

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Ryan Seacrest is seen hosting Wheel of FortuneCredit: Instagram/wheeloffortune

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Ryan Seacrest and the three Wheel of Fortune players on the new setCredit: Wheel of Fortune
On Tuesday, a video was posted to Wheel of Fortune’s official page.

It showed host Ryan, 49, giving a winner a trip to the iHeartRadio Music Awards, which he will also host.

As Ryan stood on set, a bright blue and yellow background was behind him, which is brand new this season.

Fans think that the set is too distracting and they can’t watch Wheel anymore because of it.

“Ryan is doing very well. However, the set is horribly distracting. It’s too hard to focus on the puzzle. I believe I’ve just watched my last WOF,” one Instagram user said.

“Way too bright!” said another.

“I really dislike the new set,” added a third.

“Still love the show…but the set is absolutely horrible!!! It makes me not want to watch the show!” a social media user said.

“I can NOT with the set!!! Such a disappointment. I changed it to Game Show Network to watch reruns,” wrote another.

“The new set is awful,” commented a fan.

Wheel of Fortune behind-the-scenes secrets revealed as fans point out massive taping edit in Ryan Seacrest’s second show
“I love the new set, but the colors are a bit bright,” said a follower.

HAVE TO SEA IT

This is not the first time fans have complained about the new set.

On the Season 42 premiere episode on September 9, Ryan and hostess Vanna White walked onto the stage, which included sliding doors center stage.

The screen showed all three contestants on their own panels as they solved puzzles.

Wheel of Fortune must-know staff

Wheel of Fortune’s universe is more vast than fans realize. Here’s a look at the key staffmembers of America’s most iconic puzzle-based game show:

Ryan Seacrest: host, 2024-present

Vanna White: co-host, 1982-present

Maggie Sajak: social media correspondent, 2021-present

Jim Thornton: announcer, 2011-present

Pat Sajak: host from 1981-2024, the newly-retired Pat still hosts Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and is now a supervising producer

Bellamie Blackstone: executive producer, 2021-present

Steve Schwartz, supervising producer of over 30 years and now co-executive producer

Jimmy McGuire: Stage Manager and Jeopardy! Clue Crew alum (also Jeopardy!’s stage manager)

Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! famously share a studio lot and use the others’ set next door for practice games before players take the stage.

Learn more about who keeps Wheel of Fortune spinning here.

Along with the bright walls, the shiny board is shiny and distracting.

Fans said they were “not impressed” and that it “hurt their eyes.”

Another new change to the set was that the letter board is digital and Vanna, 67, barely has to touch it.

HE’S NOT PAT

Ryan took over for Pat Sajak this season after the long-time host retired after 41 seasons.

Fans had mixed reactions to Ryan’s debut and many said that “he’s not Pat.”

“Ryan Seacrest is boring,” one critic said.

However, others said that they were impressed that Ryan was hosting with notecards.

“I gotta say…I don’t understand the hate – Ryan Seacrest isn’t that bad as host,” said an X user.

Wheel of Fortune airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ABC.

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The Wheel players split into three screens under the shiny new puzzle boardCredit: NBC

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Ryan Seacrest on a recent episode of Wheel of FortuneCredit: Instagram/wheeloffortune

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Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest waving on the set of WheelCredit: Wheel of Fortune