History Main / GuestHost

* NPR's panel quiz show ''Radio/WaitWaitDontTellMe'' has guest hosts occasionally when Peter Sagal is not available, often panelists like Faith Salie or other NPR hosts, but sometimes former guests are asked to come back fill in as host, most famously ''Wait Wait'' fanboy Creator/TomHanks (yes, Tom Hanks) for the January 14, 2017 episode.

** Guest announcer/scorekeepers will also stand in for Bill Kurtis and, before him, Carl Kasell, again usually but not always NPR personalities like Corey Flintoff and Korva Coleman.

* NPR's panel quiz show ''Radio/WaitWaitDontTellMe'' has guest hosts occasionally when Peter Sagal is not available, often panelists or other NPR hosts but sometimes former guests, most famously ''Wait Wait'' fanboy Creator/TomHanks (yes, Tom Hanks) for the January 14, 2017 episode. Guest scorekeepers will also stand in for Bill Kurtis and, before him, Carl Kasell.

* NPR's panel quiz show ''Radio/WaitWaitDontTellMe'' has guest hosts occasionally when Peter Sagal is not available, most famously ''Wait Wait'' fanboy Creator/TomHanks (yes, Tom Hanks) for the January 14, 2017 episode. Guest scorekeepers will also stand in for Bill Kurtis and, before him, Carl Kasell.

** Since ''Series/TheDailyShowWithTrevorNoah'', the show will sometimes go on hiatus when Trevor is unavailable instead of having a guest host, for example on November 4, 2015, when he underwent an emergency appendectomy ([[TheShowMustGoOn which he returned from]] ''[[TheShowMustGoOn the very next day]]''), and in the run up to the 2016
[[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Academy Awards]] as he prepared for his stand-up special ''Lost In Translation''.

* After ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' host Creator/AlexTrebek died of pancreatic cancer in November 2020, the producers confirmed that several guests would fill in until a successor was chosen. First up were Ken Jennings (the show's winningest contestant and consulting producer) and executive producer Mike Richards. Following them were Creator/KatieCouric, [[Series/TheDoctorOzShow Dr. Mehmet Oz]], Aaron Rodgers, Creator/AndersonCooper, [[Series/SixtyMinutes Bill Whitaker]], Buzzy Cohen (winner of the show's 2017 Tournament of Champions), Creator/MayimBialik, Creator/SavannahGuthrie, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Creator/GeorgeStephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, David Faber, Joe Buck, and Creator/LeVarBurton. After new permanent host Mike Richards stepped down after hosting a week of episodes in September 2021, Jennings and Bialik took over as guest-co-hosts.

* After ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' host Creator/AlexTrebek died of pancreatic cancer in November 2020, the producers confirmed that several guests would fill in until a successor was chosen. First up were Ken Jennings (the show's winningest contestant and consulting producer) and executive producer Mike Richards. Following them were Creator/KatieCouric, [[Series/TheDoctorOzShow Dr. Mehmet Oz]], Aaron Rodgers, Creator/AndersonCooper, [[Series/SixtyMinutes Bill Whitaker]], Buzzy Cohen (winner of the show's 2017 Tournament of Champions), Creator/MayimBialik, Creator/SavannahGuthrie, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Creator/GeorgeStephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, David Faber, Joe Buck, and Creator/LeVarBurton.

* ''Series/TheLateLateShow'' had guest hosts for several months after Creator/CraigKilborn suddenly left. Several people rotated as guest hosts, until it was whittled down to week-long auditions from Creator/CraigFerguson, Creator/DLHughley, Damien Fahey, and Creator/MichaelIanBlack. [[note]](The other people who tried out on-air: Creator/JasonAlexander, Creator/JeffAltman, Creator/TomArnold, Tom Caltabiano, Creator/DrewCarey, Creator/AdamCarolla, Tom Dreesen, Creator/DavidDuchovny, Creator/JimGaffigan, Creator/AnaGasteyer, ''Late Late Show'' writer Michael Gibbons, Creator/DavidAlanGrier, Creator/LisaJoyner, Donal Logue, Creator/RosiePerez, Ahmad Rashad, Jim Rome, and Creator/AishaTyler)[[/note]] Ferguson, who hadn't been interested in becoming a talk show host before he started guest-hosting and decided he liked it, ended up with the job. When he departed at the end of 2014, the same template was used by CBS while James Corden gets in some rehearsal time before taking over the series in March 2015.
** In the Creator/JamesCorden era there have been several guest hosts, but all-time favorite guest Creator/JeffGoldblum holding down the duties in the December 12, 2019 episode (Corden was busy promoting ''Film/{{Cats}}'' and the ''Series/GavinAndStacey'' Christmas special) was particularly elaborate -- complete with an opening musical number about being this trope, a monologue that included a TakeThat at Carpool Karaoke (actually his second after that July's "Drop the Mic" rap battle with Corden) '''and''' an EnforcedPlug for his Creator/DisneyPlus show ''Series/TheWorldAccordingToJeffGoldblum'', and the "Animals Riding Animals" game being changed to "Animals Riding Creator/JeffGoldblum". He and his jazz band The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra also served as the musical guests.

* In the run-up the the debut of the original ''Series/TheArsenioHallShow'' Arsenio contemplated having a guest host for the first episode, as a gag.

* ''Series/FamilyFeud'' had two episodes, both during the original Richard Dawson version (1976-85), where one round was hosted by a guest. One game opened to Sammy Davis, Jr. hosting the first question, and a later game had contestant coordinator Caryn Lucas host one question since Dawson had just injured his ribs in a car accident and needed some time to adjust a slipping brace. (Dawson said in an interview that he absolutely hated to stop tape.)

** Much later in his career (1980), Ludden was too ill to host ''Password Plus'', so Creator/BillCullen filled in for four weeks while Geoff Edwards temporarily took over for Bill for two weeks on ''Series/ChainReaction''. (Both shows aired on NBC at the time.)

** The original version (1956-63 on NBC, 1963-65 on ABC) had guest hosts fill in for Bill Cullen when he took ill or went on vacation — Creator/MervGriffin, Jack Narz, Arlene Francis, Bob Kennedy and Don Pardo all held the role during the NBC era, while Johnny Gilbert, Jack Clark(who also filled in for Bill Cullen in the NBC era), and Robert Q. Lewis all held the reins during the ABC era. Notably, Lewis' turn as host actually had Bill as that day's celebrity bidder (an element introduced when ''Price'' changed networks).

* ''Series/TheMaskedSinger'' has Creator/NiecyNash become host for the first few episodes of the fifth season, thanks to regular host Creator/NickCannon getting COVID-19.

** In October 2019, Kingsley announced he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and was taking what was intended to be a hiatus from the show. Prior to his departure, he announced a series of guest hosts, all female performers, would be taking his place through the end of November. When Kingsley died just days after announcing his departure, a special tribute show – hosted by Music/KeithUrban – aired the weekend of October 26, with the current arrangement (made in conjunction with the Country Music Association) intended to resume with the November 2 show. By the end of 2019 he was replaced by Fitz, a DJ from KNUC.
* With his increasing age and a serious bout of pneumonia late in his career, Radio/PaulHarvey had a bevy of guest hosts late in his career. The most frequent guest host was his son, Paul Harvey Jr. Fellow ABC Radio hosts Gil Gross and Doug Limerick filled in at various points, as did radio hosts Ron Chapman, Mort Crim, and Scott Shannon, and even politicians Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, and Tony Snow. Gross and Limerick took over on the show's format following Harvey's death, but it was canceled only two weeks later and replaced with ''The Huckabee Report''.

* For some months, Wrestling/{{WWE}} attempted it on its flagship show ''Wrestling/WWERaw'' to varying degrees of success and critique. The supposed reason was that when Donald Trump "bought" the show, he was going to name Ric Flair as General Manager...but when he sold it back to Vince [=McMahon=], ol' Vinnie Mac wouldn't hear of it (canonically, Vince detests Ric on the air, and reports about their backstage relationship vary). In reality, the idea was forced upon WWE by executives at Creator/USANetwork, the channel that aired the show. The concept stopped a few months after [=WrestleMania=] 26.

** This would later happen with WebVideo/TVTrash as well

* Leo (Noel MacNeal) from ''Series/TheGoodNightShow'', who was on in 2006 during auditions for new hosts.
* Nina from ''The Good Night Show'' often guest hosted ''Series/TheSunnySideUpShow'' between 2007 and 2011. Milton Barnes (as Miles from ''Series/TheLetsGoShow'') and Elizabeth Balzano were also guest hosts around the same time.

* Outside of a few episodes where the actual 'host' appeared (and failed) to get his gig back after recovering from his injuries from a tape shelf collapsing on him, ''Series/CheapSeats'' was permanently guest-hosted by 'tape library interns' Jason and Randy Sklar, and not smarmy ESPN host parody Ron Parker (the show's full name was ''Cheap Seats without Ron Parker'').

** ''Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart'': During his time as a correspondent, Creator/StephenColbert was the go-to guest host for Creator/JonStewart before he got his own show, ''Series/TheColbertReport''. During the summer of 2013, Creator/JohnOliver hosted while Jon was in Iran directing ''Film/{{Rosewater}}'', which helped in earning him his own weekly show on {{Creator/HBO}}, ''Series/LastWeekTonightWithJohnOliver''. On October 8, 2014, Jason Jones and Samantha Bee co-hosted after Jon suddenly became ill.
** Since ''Series/TheDailyShowWithTrevorNoah'', the show will sometimes go on hiatus when Trevor is unavailable instead of having a guest host, for example on November 4, 2015, when he underwent an emergency appendectomy ([[TheShowMustGoOn which he returned from]] ''[[TheShowMustGoOn the very next day]]''), and in the run up to the 2016 Academy Awards as he prepared for his stand-up special ''Lost In Translation''.
* The NBC talk show ''Later'' had a long string of guest hosts after the departure of Greg Kinnear in 1996; ''Friday Night'' host Rita Sever was the most prominent mainly because she was already there. Cynthia Garrett became permanent host on January 31, 2000, but NBC did little to promote the show and it ended in January 2001. For a year it became ''Later Presents {{Series/SCTV}}'', a slot for reruns of the 1980s sketch comedy show, before ''Last Call with Carson Daly'' replaced it.

* ''Series/TheLateLateShow'' had guest hosts for several months after Craig Kilborn suddenly left. Several people rotated as guest hosts, until it was whittled down to week-long auditions from Creator/CraigFerguson, D. L. Hughley, Damien Fahey, and Michael Ian Black. [[note]](The other people who tried out on-air: Jason Alexander, Jeff Altman, Tom Arnold, Tom Caltabiano, Drew Carey, Adam Carolla, Tom Dreesen, David Duchovny, Jim Gaffigan, Ana Gasteyer, ''Late Late Show'' writer Michael Gibbons, David Alan Grier, Lisa Joyner, Donal Logue, Rosie Perez, Ahmad Rashad, Jim Rome, and Aisha Tyler)[[/note]] Ferguson, who hadn't been interested in becoming a talk show host before he started guest-hosting and decided he liked it, ended up with the job. When he departed at the end of 2014, the same template was used by CBS while James Corden gets in some rehearsal time before taking over the series in March 2015.
** In the Creator/JamesCorden era there have been several guest hosts, but all-time favorite guest Creator/JeffGoldblum holding down the duties in the December 12, 2019 episode (Corden was busy promoting ''Film/{{Cats}}'' and the ''Series/GavinAndStacey'' Christmas special) was particularly elaborate -- complete with an opening musical number about being this trope, a monologue that included a TakeThat at Carpool Karaoke (actually his second after that July's "Drop the Mic" rap battle with Corden) '''and''' an EnforcedPlug for his Disney+ show ''Series/TheWorldAccordingToJeffGoldblum'', and the "Animals Riding Animals" game being changed to "Animals Riding Jeff Goldblum". He and his jazz band The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra also served as the musical guests.

** After Jack Parr left the show in 1962, there was a six-month period of guest hosts including Hugh Downs, Groucho Marx, and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nwgPJMVdDs Jerry Lewis]] due to ABC holding Carson to his contract as host of ''Who Do You Trust?''
** Carson had various guest hosts over the years, although in the later years he would take one day off a week and leave it to guest hosts. Eventually, there came to be a single "permanent guest host" (Joan Rivers and Jay Leno both had this position), a phrase referred to by Creator/PennAndTeller as the "rare triple oxymoron".
** On May 12, 2003, Leno swapped places with Katie Couric as a publicity stunt: he co-hosted ''Series/{{Today}}'' with Matt Lauer, while she hosted ''The Tonight Show'' later that night. This marks the only time in either of Leno's two tenures as ''Tonight Show'' host that he used this trope.
* In the run up the the debut of the original ''Series/TheArsenioHallShow'' Arsenio contemplated having a guest host for the first episode, as a gag.

** As part of the weirdness, GSN also aired the last episode of a special Valentine's Week (read: "Aired Pilot Week") of ''The New Newlywed Game'' that ABC showed in February 1984, which had Jim Lange hosting and Rod Roddy announcing.
* Nickelodeon's ''[[Series/{{DoubleDare1986}} Double Dare]]'' had one episode with Jim J. Bullock hosting while Marc Summers and Harvey played on the teams along with one child contestant - So those two could get "gunked" for a change.

* ''Series/FigureItOut'' switched host Summer Sanders and panelist Loribeth Denberg of ''Series/AllThat'' for one round. [[spoiler:Oh yes, Summer was slimed.]]

** During the 1986-89 era, guest hosts included regular panelists Jim J. Bullock and Joan Rivers, along with announcer/regular panelist Shadoe Stevens. Most of these were due to regular host John Davidson being unavailable, but a couple different games had Joan Rivers and Series/{{ALF}} (yes, really!) hosting while Davidson sat in a square. When Stevens filled in, '''Creator/HowardStern''' took his place.
** During the Creator/TomBergeron-hosted revival (1998-2004), Rosie O'Donnell hosted one round with Tom sitting in her square. Later on, during a Game Show Hosts week, Peter Marshall (who helmed the original ''Squares'' from 1966-1981) returned to guest host one episode while Bergeron sat on the panel.

** Going the other way, the 1990s version (originally hosted by Bob Hilton) had Monty take over as "guest host" in October 1990. Hall felt that the show was failing due to poor reception of Hilton as host, and planned to fill in until he could scout out a replacement for what would have been the second season. However, NBC just opted to can the show in January 1991 — and bring ''Series/WheelOfFortune'' back over from CBS to replace it.

** For the ABC era, Monty Hall hosted a few weeks (one of which had Allen playing against his wife, Creator/BettyWhite). In 1975, Betty herself hosted a week.

** After Drew Carey took over for Bob Barker as the show's host, he pulled a flip-flop with Craig Ferguson for AprilFoolsDay 2014. Drew hosted ''The Late Late Show'' with George Gray as announcer and the models as sidekicks, while Craig Ferguson hosted ''Price'' with Shadoe Stevens announcing, and Secratariat and Geoff Peterson as "models".

** On AprilFoolsDay 1997, Trebek hosted ''Wheel'' again, with Pat and LovelyAssistant Vanna White playing for charity and Pat's wife, Lesly, in Vanna's usual role and ''Jeopardy!'' announcer Johnny Gilbert co-announcing with Charlie O'Donnell. Pat also hosted that day's ''Jeopardy!'', which was otherwise a normal episode.
** Original LovelyAssistant Susan Stafford suffered injuries in 1979 and 1980 that led to Summer Bartholomew, Cynthia Washington, and Arte Johnson filling in for her. After Susan left in 1982, the show rotated hosting duties among Bartholomew, Vicki Iovine (then Vicki [=McCarty=]), and Vanna White, the last of whom has been the show's hostess ever since.

** ''Wheel'' also had a guest ''director'' for some weeks in Season 31. Longtime director Mark Corwin died after directing only two weeks of episodes, so ''Jeopardy!'' director Kevin [=McCarthy=] handled that season's road shows taped in Las Vegas, while associate director Bob Cisneros and technical director Robert Ennis filled in until the former was promoted to full-time director. Ennis also filled in again briefly in 2014 while Cisneros was having neck surgery, and after Cisneros left in 2015, Ennis himself became the permanent director.

* When ''Series/{{Punkd}}'' was brought back in 2012, instead of having TheHost with Ashton Kutcher, it was a host for each episode.

* Leo (Noel MacNeal) from ''The Good Night Show'', who was on during auditions for new hosts.

* Nina from ''The Good Night Show'' often guest hosted ''Series/TheSunnySideUpShow'' between 2007 and 2011. Milton Barnes and Elizabeth Balzano were also guest hosts around the same time.

* Creator/{{GSN}} had some fun with this on AprilFoolsDay 2003 with its originals: Mark L. Walberg hosted ''Series/FriendOrFoe?'' (normally hosted by Lisa Kennedy), Kennedy hosted ''Series/WinTuition'' (normally hosted by Marc Summers), Graham Elwood hosted ''Series/{{Whammy}}!'' (normally hosted by Todd Newton), Newton hosted ''Series/RussianRoulette'' (normally hosted by Walberg), and Summers hosted ''Series/{{Cram}}'' (normally hosted by Elwood). A few things happened in relation to this:

** After Ludden retired from ''Plus'', Tom Kennedy took over as host… but one episode has his brother, Jack Narz, host so that Kennedy could play the game himself.

** On AprilFoolsDay 1997, Trebek hosted ''Wheel'' again, with Pat and LovelyAssistant Vanna White playing for charity and Pat's wife, Lesly, in Vanna's usual role and Johnny Gilbert co-announcing with Charlie O'Donnell. Pat also hosted that day's ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' - which, notably, was otherwise a normal game (with most fans agreeing he acquitted himself very well).
** Original LovelyAssistant Susan Stafford had Summer Bartholomew and Cynthia Washington fill in for her a few times in 1979 and 1980 due to injuries. Arte Johnson also held this role for one day in 1980, likely to plug his NBC show ''Knockout''. After Susan left in 1982, the show rotated hosting duties among Bartholomew, Vicki [=McCarty=] (Iovine), and Vanna White, the last of whom has been the show's hostess ever since. Susan returned for one week of daytime episodes in 1986 so Vanna could recover after her boyfriend was killed in a plane crash. In January 1991, Tricia Gist filled in for two weeks to accommodate for Vanna's honeymoon, and returned two months later due to Vanna having a bad cold.

* The 1990-91 incarnation of ''Series/ToTellTheTruth'' had this happen unintentionally. The {{pilot}} episode, hosted by Richard Kline, aired on the East Coast by mistake instead of the actual first episode. Original host Gordon Elliott was fired early on over a salary dispute, so Lynn Swann took his place. Then Swann had to leave, so Creator/AlexTrebek took over... however, ''he'' had to leave in the middle of a taping session due to his wife going into labor, so creator Creator/MarkGoodson was called in at the last minute to host a couple episodes until Trebek.

* After ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' host Creator/AlexTrebek died of pancreatic cancer in November 2020, the producers confirmed that several guests would fill in until a successor was chosen. The first chosen was former contestant Ken Jennings, followed by producer Mike Richards, along with Creator/KatieCouric, Bill Whitaker, Aaron Rodgers, and Creator/MayimBialik.

->''"Welcome to '''Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart'''. Ironically enough, I'm Stephen Colbert."''

-->--'''Creator/StephenColbert'''.

* Series 51 of ''Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue'' had Creator/StephenFry, Jack Dee, and Rob Brydon chair two episodes each because no one could really replace Humph.

** During the Tom Bergeron-hosted revival (1998-2004), Rosie O'Donnell hosted one round with Tom sitting in her square. Later on, during a Game Show Hosts week, Peter Marshall (who helmed the original ''Squares'' from 1966-1981) returned to guest host one episode while Bergeron sat on the panel.

* After ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' host Creator/AlexTrebek died of pancreatic cancer in November 2010, the producers confirmed that several guests would fill in until a successor was chosen. The first chosen was former contestant Ken Jennings, followed by producer Mike Richards, along with Creator/KatieCouric, Bill Whitaker, Aaron Rodgers, and Creator/MayimBialik.

* Over at ''Radio/BobKingsleysCountryTop40'', Bob has continued his usual practice of letting a major-market DJ fill in for him once or twice a year, but on a couple occasions, he let a CountryMusic ''singer'' take his place: Jeffrey Steele did a week each in 2008 and '09, and Jack Ingram did another week in 2008.
** In October 2019, Kingsley announced he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and was taking what was intended/announced to be a hiatus from the show. Prior to his departure, he announced a series of guest hosts, all female performers, would be taking his place through the end of November. When Kingsley died just days after announcing his departure, a special tribute show – hosted by Music/KeithUrban – aired the weekend of October 26, with the current arrangement (made in conjunction with the Country Music Association) intended to resume with the November 2 show. As of this date, nothing has been announced as to future guest hosts let alone the show's future.
* With his increasing age and a serious bout of pneumonia late in his career, Radio/PaulHarvey had a bevy of guest hosts late in his career. The most frequent guest host was his son, Paul Harvey Jr., but several other ABC Radio personnel sometimes filled in, as did former senator Fred Thompson. Two of the regular substitutes, Gil Gross and Doug Limerick, took over on the show's format following Harvey's death, but it was canceled only two weeks later and replaced with ''The Huckabee Report''.

* On ''Series/{{Concentration}}'', sometimes on anniversary shows Hugh downs would play the game while Bob Clayton would emcee. One such show had Hugh and Bob as contestants and producer Norm Blumenthal as host.

* The 1990-91 incarnation of ''Series/ToTellTheTruth'' had this happen unintentionally. The {{pilot}} episode, hosted by Richard Kline, aired on the East Coast by mistake instead of the actual first episode. Original host Gordon Elliott was fired early on over a salary dispute, so Lynn Swann took his place. Then Swann had to leave, so Creator/AlexTrebek took over... however, ''he'' had to leave in the middle of a taping session due to his wife going into labor, so creator Creator/MarkGoodson was called in at the last minute to host a couple episodes until Trebek could return.