For those who’ve diligently tackled their daily Wordle challenge since its late 2021 debut, get ready: you might just be the ideal contestant for NBC’s new game show. Reports indicate that a pilot for a Wordle-inspired series is currently being filmed in the United Kingdom.
Hosting duties will fall to Savannah Guthrie, widely recognized for her work on NBC’s Today show. This exciting venture is a collaboration between Jimmy Fallon’s Electric Hot Dog company, Universal Television Alternative Studio, and The New York Times. Fallon, a self-proclaimed “addict” of the game, will also be an executive producer, bringing his passion for Wordle to the production.
The development of this new show comes after The New York Times acquired Wordle, which was initially created by Welsh software engineer Josh Wardle in 2022. The daily word puzzle continues to be incredibly popular, boasting 5.3 billion plays last year, a significant increase from 4.8 billion in 2023. It seems everyone, including notable figures, enjoys the challenge!
However, this news doesn’t guarantee a Wordle game show will definitively air on NBC or Peacock. The project must still clear several significant hurdles, including final approval after production, before it can make its way to our screens.
It’s worth noting that CBS already has a similar word-based game show called Lingo, hosted by RuPaul Charles. Lingo debuted in 2024 and has secured renewals for upcoming seasons. Interestingly, the Lingo format itself has a long history, having first graced television screens back in the 1980s.