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Wheel of eternity: TV's top two game shows renewed for two more seasons

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Author: 
Andrew Warren / TV Media
Alex Trebek hosts “Jeopardy!”

Alex Trebek hosts “Jeopardy!”

Wheel of eternity: For decades, the same three folks have been invited into millions of homes across the country every evening. They're like family -- their pearly white smiles and familiar voices always welcomed.

They are, of course, the hosts of the two most popular game shows in the country. Pat Sajak, Vanna White and Alex Trebek have been the hosts of "Wheel of Fortune" (Sajak and White) and "Jeopardy!" (Trebek) since their syndicated versions started way back in 1983 ("Wheel") and 1984 ("Jeopardy!").

Those are some impressive runs, for both the shows and for their hosts -- and those runs won't be ending any time soon. Both "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" have been renewed through the 2017-18 season, pushing the two shows ever closer to their 40th anniversaries on the air.

Depending on how you look at it, though, that big anniversary may have already passed for both game shows. Both "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" started out as daytime game shows with different hosts (although both Sajak and White did have daytime stints on "Wheel") long before they transitioned to nightly syndication.

These original incarnations of America's favorite game shows ("Wheel" premiered in 1975, "Jeopardy!" in 1964) weren't quite the same as they are now -- "Wheel of Fortune" had a segment where the contestants shopped with their cash winnings, for instance -- but the foundations were laid out years before the modern-day hosts started coming into our homes every weekday night

It's been a long, long road for the venerable trio of hosts, and with two more seasons confirmed, there's still no end in sight for "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!"

 

Who wants to be Chris Harrison?: The host of a series that promises true love is taking over a series that promises huge sums of cash.

Chris Harrison has hosted "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette" and the other related spinoffs since their inceptions, and now he's adding another hosting gig to his plate.

"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" has had a bit of a revolving door of hosts since longtime leading lady Meredith Vieira ("The View," "Today") stepped down in 2013. Her seat was taken over by Cedric the Entertainer ("Barbershop," 2002) for the 2013-14 season, who in turn handed over the reins to Terry Crews ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine") this year.

In April, Crews announced his departure from the long-running game show, and it hasn't taken long for Harrison to jump at the opportunity. With over a decade of "Bachelor" hosting experience in his pocket, Harrison is right at home in front of the camera and should fit right in across from the hot seat. He will continue to host the "Bachelor" franchise along with his new gig as "Millionaire's" host.

"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" is the American adaptation of the British show with the same name and ran from 1999 to 2002 with Regis Philbin ("Live with Regis and Kelly") handling the hosting duties. The show was a massive hit, quickly spawning board games, books and video games so that people at home could feel like "Millionaire" contestants themselves.

The syndicated version with Vieira premiered in 2002, and it's been smooth running ever since. Whether Harrison will stay as long as Vieira, who hosted for 11 seasons, or last just a single season like Cedric the Entertainer and Crews is anyone's guess.

 

"FAB"-u-lous: There's no stopping Tyra Banks.

She may have started her career as one of the world's most famous models, but this beautiful lady has really found her home on TV screens. She created (and continues to host) "America's Next Top Model" in 2003 and hosted "The Tyra Banks Show" on CW for five seasons, taking home six Daytime Emmys in the process.

Now, Banks is returning to daytime talk. "The FAB Life" is set to premiere in syndication this fall, and Banks, her four co-hosts and celebrity guests are promising to fill the screen with tips and tricks to motivate audiences and make their lives more enjoyable.

Although Banks may be the most famous face in the bunch, the other co-hosts are no slouches. Joining her will be interior designer Lauren Makk ("Trading Spaces"), model and co-host of "Lip Sync Battle" Chrissy Teigen, YouTube sensation Leah Ashley and Yahoo! style editor Joe Zee.

As a syndicated program, "The FAB Life's" channels and broadcast times will vary by region, so keep an eye on local listings this fall.