Mike Richards was removed as an executive producer of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, Sony announced Tuesday.
The decision follows a tumultuous month for the television game show Jeopardy! in which Richards was first named its new co-host. However, he soon stepped down amid controversy over him being named in multiple discrimination lawsuits and previous remarks he made that were deemed offensive.
Staff members were notified about Richards’s removal through emails sent on Tuesday by Suzanne Prete, the executive vice president of business and strategy at Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, according to Variety.
“We had hoped that when Mike stepped down from the host position at Jeopardy! it would have minimized the disruption and internal difficulties we have all experienced these last few weeks,” Prete wrote. “That clearly has not happened.”
MIKE RICHARDS STEPS DOWN DAYS AFTER CONTROVERSIAL SELECTION AS JEOPARDY! HOST
“Michael and I will work together with all of you in the weeks ahead to ensure that production remains on schedule and we do not miss a beat as we head into the new season,” Prete added. “I know this has been a challenging time for the entire team, and I want to thank you all for your cooperation and professionalism over these last few weeks.”
When Richards left the host position, Sony encouraged him to remain in his executive producer role, saying it was the company’s “hope” that he would continue to exercise “professionalism and respect.”
Richards issued an apology on Aug. 19 over comments he made between 2013 and 2014, in which he reportedly asked his assistant and co-host whether they had ever taken “booby pictures,” according to a report published Wednesday by pop culture outlet the Ringer.
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Richards was selected on Aug. 11 to share the hosting responsibilities with The Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik. Guest hosts, including Bialik, will fill in as Jeopardy! resumes the search for a permanent host.
The Washington Examiner contacted Sony Pictures but did not immediately receive a response.
