LeVar Burton to host Trivial Pursuit game show… after being passed over for Jeopardy gig

Levar Burton will host a new Trivial Pursuit game show coming to eOne.

In addition to being the face of the show, the longtime actor will executive produce the program under his production company LeVar Burton Entertainment.

It comes after the 64-year-old Star Strek vet was petitioned to host Jeopardy! following Alex Trebek’s death.  

New gig: Levar Burton will host a new Trivial Pursuit game show coming to eOne

Joining Burton to bring the show to fruition are Tara Long and Geno McDermott from eOne, and Sangita Patel from LBE. A broadcaster has not yet been named. 

The seasoned entertainer told Deadline, ‘Trivial Pursuit is one of the best-known brands in the gaming universe. I am thrilled to have partnered with Hasbro and eOne to bring this beloved game to market as a premium show for television.’

Tara, president of Global Unscripted Television at eOne noted, ‘[LeVar’s] love for intellectual curiosity paired with his ability to connect with audiences worldwide make him the perfect partner to bring Hasbro’s beloved trivia game to households in a new and exciting way.’

Background: The seasoned entertainer said, ‘Trivial Pursuit is one of the best-known brands in the gaming universe. I am thrilled to have partnered with Hasbro and eOne to bring this beloved game to market as a premium show for television’

Hosting chops: Burton is best known to people from Gen X through Gen Z for hosting the PBS series Reading Rainbow, which he began in 1983 and continued hosting until 2006

Burton’s first on-screen role came in 1976, but his breakout came a year later with the the wildly popular and influential miniseries Roots.

He starred in the early portions as Kunta Kinte, a fictional slave inspired by one of writer Alex Haley’s ancestors.

Burton continued to work steadily, but he’s best known to people from Gen X through Gen Z for hosting the PBS series Reading Rainbow, which he began in 1983 and continued hosting until 2006.

The actor also starred in Star Trek: The Next Generation and several subsequent films as Geordi La Forge, the chief engineer of the USS Enterprise-D who is blind and wears a special visor to allow him to see.

Famous role! The actor also starred in Star Trek: The Next Generation and several subsequent films as Geordi La Forge, the chief engineer of the USS Enterprise-D who is blind and wears a special visor to allow him to see

His history: Burton’s first on-screen role came in 1976, but his breakout came a year later with the the wildly popular and influential miniseries Roots; seen with David Rogier in NYC in November