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Richard Osman's replacement on Pointless revealed after quitting BBC quiz show

The TV star has made the decision to step down after 12 years as co-host

Eve Crosbie
TV & Film Writer
April 8, 2022
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Richard Osman confirmed on Friday that he would be stepping down from his role as co-host of Pointless after 12 years and more than 1,300 episodes of the afternoon quiz show.

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And now, in the wake of his departure, the BBC has shared an update on who will be joining Alexander Armstrong on the show.

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It has been confirmed that the show's upcoming 27th series will feature a number of guest presenters as the channel searches for a permanent replacement for Richard.

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"In episodes to be broadcast later this year Alexander Armstrong will be joined by a roster of guest presenters," a statement from the BBC reads. "Details of these guest hosts will be confirmed at a later date."

pointless richard
Richard has made the decision to step down as Pointless co-host

While Richard will no longer appear on the main series, he will return to present episodes of its celebrity spinoff, which sees famous faces try to win money for their chosen charities. He will also continue his hosting duties on the BBC Two show House of Games, which launched in 2017.

In a statement posted to Twitter, the 51-year-old revealed that he had made the decision to leave Pointless so that he could "concentrate on writing."

house of games

He will continue to present BBC Two show House of Games

Richard's debut novel The Thursday Murder Club shot to the top of the charts when it was published back in 2020 and became the fastest-selling crime debut of all time. His 2021 follow-up, The Man Who Died Twice, saw similar success, and Stephen Spielberg has bought the rights to bring the story to life on the big screen.

In a statement to the BBC, he added: "Pointless has been a joy from start to finish, working alongside my friend Alexander Armstrong, backed by the most wonderful team, and for the best viewers in the world.

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"I will miss everyone so much, but I'm thrilled that I'll still be presenting the celebrity shows. I can't thank everyone enough for twelve amazing years."

Commenting on his departure, co-host Alexander said: "Daytime television's loss is international best-selling crime fiction's gain. I say that like it's a consolation - I'm going to miss the big man next to me Monday to Friday. But at least I still get him at weekends - and weekdays if you're watching on Challenge."

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