“Celebrity Name Game” To Be Cancelled After Three Seasons

According to Deadline Hollywood, the Courteney Cox/David Arquette-executive produced game show will not be renewed once this season concludes. Jennifer Mullin, Co-CEO of FremantleMedia North America, states: “We’ve had a wonderful time producing Celebrity Name Game and we are exceptionally proud of its three seasons in syndication. While we are not renewing in syndication at this time, it is a format we believe in. We are thankful to our loyal audience, our celebrity guests, the incredibly talented Craig Ferguson, our partners at Debmar–Mercury and Coquette, and our crew — whose passion for this series has been unparalleled.” 

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #97

This week's update article will take a look at the some of the latest US and international game show news from the past week in 200 characters or less. Highlights include a Chaser setting a new record on The Chase, BBC's Make Me An Egghead wrapping up its first series by adding two new Eggheads to the program, the upcoming College online audition test for Jeopardy!, a comedic UK game show headed to MTV in less than a month and some of the latest game show ratings.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #96

It's time once again to quickly peruse through of some of the latest headlines in the world US and international game shows. This week's update article will take a look at the some of the latest game show news from the past week in 200 characters or less. Highlights include fall season premieres of prominent CBS Daytime game shows, Match Game's first season finale, Millionaire returning to India after a two-year hiatus, the dates for Jeopardy's online audition tests and some of the latest game show ratings.

STAY TUNED Fall Edition: New Seasons Of Daytime & Syndicated Game Shows Begin September 12

As we are only less than a month away from summer officially coming to an end, today’s article will focus on the veteran game shows that will be returning to television networks in September with new episodes. Next week, I’ll be reviewing the highs and lows of a few game shows that have aired this summer in the US and UK. For now, let’s take a look at what’s in store this year for shows including Family Feud, Celebrity Name Game and Wheel of Fortune.

UPDATE: The Price Is Right will unveil a new pricing game during the show's premiere week and Let's Make A Deal debuts its eighth season on CBS Daytime on September 19 with "Mega Deal Week". 

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #91

This week's quick update article will take a look at the some of the latest game show news from the past week in 200 characters or less. This week's highlights include Ken Jennings competing on 500 Questions, the Daytime Emmy Award and Webby Award winners,  the first $100,000 winner of the 33rd season of Wheel of Fortune and Match Game returning to ABC this summer.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #90

This week's quick update article will take a look at the some of the latest game show news from the past week in 200 characters or less. This week's highlights include ratings updates, MTV adapting a UK-based game show (currently airing on ITV2), Millionaire airing a special edition of the show featuring two contestants from the The Bachelor and The Bachelorette and Channel 4 filming a pilot episode to a new game show next week.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #89

This week's quick update article will take a look at the some of the latest game show news from the past week in 200 characters or less. This week's news highlights include an NPR interview featuring Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, a "groovy" new episode of Idiotest, BuzzFeed checking out the set of the upgraded temple in Legends of The Hidden Temple and an international network adapting its own version of the Who's Still Standing? game show format.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #85

This week's article will be reviewing some of the latest game show news from the past week in 200 characters or less. Updates include an "enriching" highlight from Monopoly Millionaires' Club, GSN Games absorbing a UK social gaming company, the latest edition of The $100,000 Pyramid looking for contestants to compete on the reboot and Jeopardy! banning Canadian contestants for the time being.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #83

This week's brief update article will cover some of the latest game show news headlines from the past few days in 200 characters or less including a few updates featured on the TBIR Facebook page. News updates include Jeopardy! set to kickoff this year's College Championship this week, a Monopoly Millionaires' Club highlight clip, an author seeking to publish his book centering around the history and impact of U.K. game shows through a crowdfunding site and some of the latest game show ratings.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #81

This week's quick update article will cover some of the latest game show news headlines from the past few days in 200 characters or less including updates featured on the TBIR Facebook page. News updates include a plot of an upcoming episode of an ABC sitcom centering around Double Dare, Barnstorm Games debuting a new Countdown mobile game to add to their library of game show-based apps, 1000 Heartbeats star Vernon Kay hosting a new driving game show and some of the latest game show ratings.

Current Renewal Status of Syndicated Game Shows

According to Broadcasting & Cable, several distribution companies are in the market of renewing the contracts of several syndicated series including Warner Bros.’ with The Ellen DeGeneres Show through 2020 on NBC-owned stations, CBS Television Distribution holding on to Hot Bench, created by Judge Judy Sheindlin, through the 2017-2018 season and NBCUniversal expected to renew Steve Harvey. In the world of game shows, veteran game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! have been renewed through the 2017-2018 season by CTD, Debmar-Mercury is currently in the market to secure renewals for Family Feud, even though  Steve Harvey’s contract has been renewed through 2021 to host the now-popular game show, and Tribune is expected to renew the sophomore show Celebrity Name Game. Tribune’s decision is partly based on the company searching for ways to replace its downward-trending controversial daytime talk shows, Maury, Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #80

This week's quick update article will cover some of the latest game show news headlines from the past few days in 200 characters or less including updates featured on the TBIR Facebook page. News updates include a highlight from this weekend's episode of Monopoly Millionaires' Club, new affiliate markets picking up BUZZR, Al Roker visiting the set of Wheel of Fortune and some of the latest game show ratings. 

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #76

This week's quick update article will cover some of the latest game show news headlines from the past few days in 200 characters or less including updates featured on the TBIR Facebook page. News updates include BUZZR gaining virtual residence in Ohio, a Monopoly Millionaires' Club contestant possibly becoming the next American game show millionaire, former Millionaire contestants receiving a second chance to compete on the show next week and some of the latest GSN ratings. WARNING: This article may contain spoilers.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #75

This week's quick update article will cover some of the latest game show news headlines from the past few days in 200 characters or less including updates featured on the TBIR Facebook page. News updates include a live performance of Let's Make A Deal coming to Michigan this weekend, Jeopardy! holding a special online audition test session for Houston residents next week, TLC's Labor Games host Lisa Arch talking with WSRQ Talk Radio's Marilu Henner about her experiences hosting the pregnancy ambush game show and Showtime creating a series based on a former Barker's Beauty model.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #74

This week's quick update article will cover some of the latest game show news headlines from the past few days in 200 characters or less including updates featured on the TBIR Facebook page. News updates include Stephen Fry stepping down as the host of the curiously entertaining BBC panel game show QI, another contestant winning Channel 4's Deal or No Deal's £250,000 top prize, Alex Trebek donating $1 million to Forham University, the first champion to win GSN's newest competitive reality series Steampunk'd along with the show's $100,000 grand prize, and a few GSN ratings updates.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #72

Today's update will review some of the latest game show news headlines from the past week in 200 characters or less including updates featured on the TBIR Facebook page. Quick updates include the second season premiere of Sports Jeopardy! under a revised format, big winners on The Chase, The Chase Australia, another quarter-million dollar winner on Millionaire and some of the latest ratings updates. 

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #71

This week's update will review some of the latest game show news headlines from the past week in 200 characters or less including updates featured on the TBIR Facebook page. This series of quick updates include the ratings for TLC's Labor Games official first night out last Tuesday, the second season of Sports Jeopardy! kicking off next week, Mastermind returning to New Zealand after a 30+ year hiatus and a contestant winning a staggering six-figure sum during the Millionaire's 14th season premiere week.

News In A Flash!: Quick Game Show Updates #70

This week's update will review some of the major news headlines in the game show universe from the past few weeks in 200 characters or less including updates featured on the TBIR Facebook page. Updates include TLC's Labor Games returning this month, Jenny Ryan beginning her tenure as one of the resident Chasers on ITV's The Chase some of the latest news from GSN. All syndication ratings are from the week ending August 21.

"Celebrity Name Game" Renewed For Second Season

This update shouldn't come as much of a shocker for game show fans after hearing news of the show's forecasted renewal last month. FremantleMedia announced today that Celebrity Name Game will be returning for another season thanks to pickups by Tribune Broadcasting, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Cox Broadcasting and many others. Hosted by Craig Ferguson and executive produced by Courteney Cox and David Arquette, the show is currently in its first season with new episodes to come January 12. Thom Beers, CEO of FremantleMedia North America and one of the show's executive producers commented, "Celebrity Name Game came out of the gate with an impressive start, building its audience each week, and showing itself to be a strong contender in syndication." Celebrity Name Game is holding its own by ranking second among new daily syndicated shows in the all-important key daytime demo of women 25-54. For most of the season thus far, the show has averaged a commendable 1.2 rating.

"Celebrity Name Game" Expected To Be Renewed For Second Season

After showing a solid household rating average during November sweeps, it looks like Celebrity Name Game might be sticking around for another season. During the sweeps month, The Meredith Vieira Show and Hot Bench, the rookie court show created and produced by Judge Judy Sheindlin, were both renewed for a second season with respective averages of a 1.2 and a 1.7. Debmar Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game and Warner Bros.’ talk show The Real are expected to be renewed after holding steady with a 1.3 and a 1.0 rating. This is a big boost to the U.S. syndicated market after a lackluster performance last year with only one first-year show averaging above a 1.0 (Queen Latifah, 1.1).