SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — LeVar Burton is getting a game show host gig after all, and this time it’s on his terms.
The beloved actor from “Reading Rainbow” and “Star Trek” was a fan favorite to become “Jeopardy!” host, but that process didn’t pan out the way anyone expected.
Now, Burton is set to host a new game show based on the board game “Trivial Pursuit.” He’s also an executive producer on it, and he says he’s “thrilled.”
The show is in development now from LeVar Burton Entertainment and Entertainment One (eOne), which is owned by Hasbro, the owner of the game. It’s not yet known which network will get the rights to air it, according to Variety.
Burton fostered a fondness for reading in millions of children while hosting “Reading Rainbow” for over 20 years, making those children — now adults — hungry for his comeback on a program based on intellect.
A storm of disappointment came after “Jeopardy!” decided not to move forward with him, and he was definitely over it.
“They say be careful of what you wish for because what I found out is that it wasn’t the thing that I wanted after all,” Burton told Trevor Noah on The Daily Show.
During that September interview, he hinted that some kind of hosting gig was coming soon. “So we’re trying to figure out what the right game show for LeVar Burton would be,” he said.
And now…
“This is happening!” Burton tweeted Tuesday about his new hosting gig.
Tara Long, president of global unscripted television for eOne, said Burton’s “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,” Variety reported.
