RuPaul’s Drag Race: RuPaul Set To Host Reboot Wordle-Like Game Lingo

The uber-success of RuPaul’s Drag Race has opened many doors for RuPaul Charles, with the next being a hosting gig for a reboot of Lingo. Since 2009, RuPaul and the main panel of judges—Michelle Visage, Ross Matthews, and Carson Kressley—have been on the hunt for America’s Next Drag Superstar. With over 150 contestants as of 2022, RPDR pushing a marginalized group to the forefront of reality television has shone a new light on the LGBTQ+ community. The program has extended far beyond the United States; RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has completed three seasons, while Canada’s Drag Race is hosted by season 11 runner-up Brooke Lynn Hytes. International versions of the show can also be found in Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

As a host, RuPaul has won countless awards over the years. Chosen as one of the top 100 influential people in the world by TIME in 2017, RuPaul has won a whopping 11 Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program, with the last one being awarded in 2021. The recipient of a Critics’ Choice Television Award and three Producers Guild of America Awards, RuPaul has branched out to host several other shows. First a judge on the body-painting competition Skin Wars, RuPaul hosts the special-turned-spin-off Skin Wars: Fresh Paint; RuPaul also co-hosted the plastic surgery talk-show Good Work in 2015 along with Sofia Vergara and RHOC‘s Terry Dubrow.

RuPaul’s newest gig will revive his hosting duties once more, this time with CBS. The network, according to Deadline, has ordered a revival of Lingo, a game show that first aired in 1987. Similar to the online game Wordle— which has effectively taken over the Internet—contestants must guess certain letters in the correct order to reveal a word. Teams of two contestants will work together to solve the puzzle in one-hour episodes, with the top two teams then facing off in a final showdown to win a large cash prize. CBS has confirmed that the reboot will premiere sometime later this year, although no official date has been set.

As host and executive producer, RuPaul is clearly excited for the opportunity, commenting, “We’re all ready to have fun again, and Lingo is the answer.” Mitch Graham, the Senior Vice President of Alternative Programming at CBS, also praised the decision to hire the self-proclaimed ‘Queen of Drag’. “RuPaul’s flair and sharp wit, coupled with the ability for viewers to play along at home, make this a timely show with wide appeal that we’re excited to join our network lineup,” Graham said. The 1987 version of the show was hosted by Ronald Reagan’s son Michael before being rebooted in 2002-2007 as well as 2011. Similarly, the British version of Lingo aired for two months in 1988 before being revived with new host Adil Ray in 2021.

As arguably the most successful drag queen of all time, RuPaul’s newest job is welcomed news for fans of the RuPaul’s Drag Race universe, as well as the thousands of people who play Wordle daily. While game show enthusiasts will still have to wait a while until the reboot of Lingo premieres, RuPaul is still remaining busy as the host and head judge of Drag Race: UK vs. The World, which features queens from the UK, US, the Netherlands, Thailand, and Canada. In addition, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 14 has been airing new episodes since January 7. Viewers have much to look forward to out of RuPaul, even while Lingo is months away.

RuPaul’s Drag Race airs every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on VH1.

Source: Deadline

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