Next Jeopardy! host: Will it be LeVar Burton, Ken Jennings, someone else?

Earlier today, the news was revealed that Mike Richards will no longer be the new Jeopardy! host — even though he had it for only a short period of time. This means that for producers, they are back to the drawing board to try to figure this out. (It should be noted that Richards remains a part of the series behind the scenes; he is just not the face of the operation as of this time.)

So is there already a perfect host among the people who tried out this year? Let’s go through who are some of the top candidates now…

LeVar Burton – We know that he is largely the audience favorite to take over the role, but we’ve also heard the pushback and mixed reviews of his actual performance. Do we think he was nervous and overly excited at times? Definitely, but we don’t subscribe to the belief that being overly ambitious is bad. He’s still the perfect host insofar as capturing the essence and aura of what this show should be — most importantly, he wants the job and would pour everything into it.

Ken Jennings – The Greatest of All Time champ (and Jeopardy! employee, mind you) has already dealt with a fair share of controversy over some of his past comments on social media. There are arguments to be made against him, but clearly, Alex Trebek cared deeply about him and you know that Ken cares deeply about the show. He would respect the institution and keep many longtime viewers.

Buzzy Cohen – In our mind the darkhorse candidate. He was truly great hosting the Tournament of Champions and already has the respect of the audience. There’s also been little to no controversy around him, which is important at this point.

Mayim Bialik – She was arguably the best guest host; however, she is no stranger to controversy and also has a busier schedule than the other candidates mentioned here. Does her responsibilities to Call Me Kat make it impossible for her to take the job full-time?

If you look at a lot of the other candidates, many of them have other jobs — others just aren’t fresh of mind. The ideal host should be someone qualified to properly run the ship, but be a lifelong lover of learning and someone who serves as a perfect fit for the brand.

Who do you want to see become the next host of Jeopardy! now that Mike Richards is out?

Be sure to share right now in the attached comments! After you do just that, remember to stick around — there are more updates ahead and of course, we don’t want you to miss them. (Photo: Jeopardy.)