Mike Richards, executive producer of the long-running game show Jeopardy!, has announced that he would step down as host effective immediately.
The resignation comes after a report detailing Richards’s past misogynistic comments that surfaced earlier this week.
“Over the last several days it has become clear that moving forward as host would be too much of a distraction for our fans and not the right move for the show,” Richards said in a note to Jeopardy! staff on Friday. “As such, I will be stepping down as host effective immediately. As a result, we will be cancelling production today.”
WATCH | The controversy over new Jeopardy! host:
The selection of Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards to be the long-running game show’s new host is mired in controversy about the selection process and offensive comments Richards has made in the past. 2:05
Choice of host was divisive
Richards was chosen last week as the successor to Alex Trebek, but his selection was seen as divisive from the beginning, after the show embarked on a broad search that included actors, sports figures, journalists and celebrities.
Earlier this week, a report on the website The Ringer revealed demeaning comments about women that Richards had made on a podcast. The clips were removed online after the report was posted.
