LeVar Burton Will Join Jeopardy! As A Guest Host

After a social media call to action to make LeVar Burton the host of  “Jeopardy!,” the actor is making his way to the game show’s podium.

The “Reading Rainbow” star has been announced as one of the final guest hosts on the beloved game show, which has been on the hunt for a new host following the death of its long-term host Alex Trebek last November.

Fans of Burton are putting pressure on the show to bring him on as the permanent host. A Change.org petition, started by Joshua Sanders, has attracted over 246,000 signatures supporting having Burton on the show nightly to present the questions to contestants.

In addition to starring in “Reading Rainbow,” Burton also executive produced the show. He also starred as Lt. Commander Geordi LaForge on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and Kunta Kinte in the slave-era drama “Roots.” Throughout his career, Burton has won a Grammy award, 13 Emmys, and a George Foster Peabody award. He currently hosts his fiction literature podcast, “LeVar Burton Reads.”

Once the news broke that he would be on Jeopardy!, Burton took to Twitter to thank his supporters for their diligence and pushing the petition daily.

“I am overjoyed, excited, and eager to be guest-hosting Jeopardy! and will do my utmost best to live up to your faith you in me. YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE! Go ahead and take my word for it, this time.” He also went on to add a special thanks to Sanders for rallying the initiative.

THANK YOU… to all y’all for your passionate support! I am overjoyed, excited, and eager to be guest-hosting Jeopardy!, and will do my utmost best to live up to your faith you in me. YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE! Go ahead and take my word for it, this time. https://t.co/C7mZWMok2X

— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) April 21, 2021