The presenter has fronted the hit BBC quiz show for nine years.
Richard Osman has quit House of Games (Image: BBC)
Richard Osman has announced he is quitting House of Games after nine years. The presenter and author, 55, is bidding farewell to the BBC quiz show to “let someone else” have a go at fronting the programme. He said: “It has been such a great pleasure, and honour, to present House of Games for the last nine years, with the absolute best team in television.
“But it’s time to let someone else have a go, and I’m very excited to hand over the House keys to the lucky new host!” House of Games launched on BBC Two in 2017 and has remained a ratings success ever since, with the most recent ninth series attracting an impressive 1.6 million viewers.
The popular show sees four celebrity contestants battling it out in a series of fast-paced knowledge-based games in five consecutive days, all selected by Osman.
The scores are tallied after each day before the champion is announced at the end of the week. Osman will continue fronting the show’s ninth season before handing over to a new presenter.
It has not yet been revealed who that person is, but BBC bosses confirmed they have “exciting plans” ahead.
Tamara Gilder, joint MD of production company Remarkable Entertainment, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Richard for being the most brilliant host for the past nine series and will miss him so very much.
“House of Games is a hugely popular show, and we have some exciting plans… all will be revealed soon.”
The presenter announced he is ready for another star to take over (Image: BBC/Remarkable TV/Graeme Hunter)BBC daytime boss Rob Unsworth highlighted the impact Richard Osman has had on House of Games, saying his contribution to the show’s success over the past nine years has been invaluable.
He said: “Richard Osman has established House of Games as one of our best-loved shows. His contribution to its success is impossible to overstate, and we couldn’t be more grateful for his work over the last nine years.
“But as we wish him even more success in the future, we also look forward to sharing with viewers who the House of Games’s next resident will be – and will have more on that soon.
If a single presenter isn’t appointed, the programme could adopt a similar approach to Pointless following Osman’s departure, potentially introducing a rotating line-up of hosts instead.
