A Black TV pundit has claimed that Jeopardy! Producers blocked late host Alex Trebek from naming her as his successor.
CNN legal analyst Laura Coates says that her offer to guest-host the long-running game show was rebuffed, despite the fact that Trebek had publicly backed her as his possible replacement.
“I asked for the opportunity when it came time when they were looking for people to possibly fill in. I certainly raised my hand and knocked on doors and found them closed,” she said on the Tamron Hall Show.
“I was told ‘no,’ which is one of those moments when you have to remember to wear your own jersey.”
And she added: “You have to remember to continue to be your own champion in other respects, and sometimes the vision that you have for yourself — or those that surprise you, other people — don’t align with what happens, and that happened there.”
Trebek, who died in 2020 at the age of 80, first floated her name, along with sportscaster Alex Faust, during a 2018 interview with TMZ.com.
“I was thrilled when he said my name, and I thought, ‘Oh, my God, this person that I have watched my whole life, really, even knows my name — let alone thinks that I would be worthy enough to fill his shoes, which frankly can’t be filled.’”
Actor Mayim Bialik and previous contestant Ken Jennings are currently sharing the hosting job.
The show’s executive producer Mike Richards stepped down as new host of the show last August amid scrutiny of his past offensive comments about women, Jews and poor people.
Several weeks later the show completely cut ties with Mr Richards, who also lost his job as executive producer of Wheel of Fortune.
