Mike Richards, who succeeded Alex Trebek as the host of the iconic gameshow Jeopardy!, has resigned from the position after a media outlet dug up derogatory comments he made during recordings of his podcast on the set of The Price is Right circa 2013 and 2014.
Richards’ resignation came after The Ringer reported that he made misogynistic comments during a 2013 episode of The Randumb Show, named after the weekly late-night comedy show he hosted as a college student at Pepperdine University.
“As I mentioned last week, I was deeply honored to be asked to host the syndicated show and was thrilled by the opportunity to expand my role. However, 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. As such, I will be stepping down as host effective immediately. As a result, we will be canceling production today,” Richards wrote in a statement sharing his departure.
Richards referred to his co-host as a “booth slut” and “booth ho” and asked her about “booby pictures” on her phone.
Producer Sony Pictures Television confirmed the resignation Friday in a statement, adding that Richards will continue as the show’s executive producer although not in a host capacity.
“We support Mike’s decision to step down as host. We were surprised this week to learn of Mike’s 2013/2014 podcast and the offensive language he used in the past. We have spoken with him about our concerns and our expectations moving forward. Mike has been with us for the last two years and has led the Jeopardy! team through the most challenging time the show has ever experienced. It is our hope that as EP he will continue to do so with professionalism and respect,” the company said in a statement obtained by the Hollywood Reporter.