World of Wonder
World of Wonder

RuPaul is set to host a reboot of a classic word-based game show.

Over the last 10 years, Mama Ru has been busy as the host of the popular RuPaul’s Drag Race series and its numerous spin-offs. 

Now, the legendary TV personality is stepping into the primetime game show world as the host of the Lingo revival.

According to a report from Deadline, the series is set to premiere later this year on CBS. 

During the one-hour episodes, two teams of two contestants will compete against each other by guessing the letters of a selected word. 

By the end of the game, the two winning teams will make it to a final round that features an additional cash prize. 

The historic series has had numerous iterations over the last few decades. 

It was first introduced in the late 80s and was hosted by Michael Reagan. A reboot of the series was then brought to the Game Show Network in 2002 and ran till 2007.  

Recently, ITV introduced their own Lingo series that is hosted by actor and comedian Adil Ray.  

In a press release, RuPaul expressed his excitement, stating: “We’re all ready to have fun again, and Lingo is the answer.”

Mitch Graham, SVP Alternative Programming at CBS, expressed similar sentiments in his own statement.

“We give you a letter, and you guess the rest. The word-game craze is sweeping the nation, and Lingo will deliver a fast-paced, fun and addictive show for the whole family,” he said.

“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.”

The news of a Lingo reboot arrives a couple of months after the emergence of the popular online game Wordle.

The word-based puzzle, which was created by software engineer Josh Wardle, recently saw an uptick in players due to its popularity on social media.

Currently, the website-only game hosts millions of players a day.

On 31 January, the New York Times announced that it acquired the platform as part of its video game sector.

“If you’re like me, you probably wake up every morning thinking about Wordle, and savoring those precious moments of discovery, surprise and accomplishment,” said Jonathan Knight, general manager for The New York Times Games.

“We could not be more thrilled to become the new home and proud stewards of this magical game, and are honored to help bring Josh Wardle’s cherished creation to more solvers in the months ahead.”

A premiere date for the Lingo series has yet to be announced.