Millions of people play Wordle daily on their small screens. Now, the New York Times and NBC hope those same viewers will tune into a Wordle game on a slightly larger platform.
NBC has ordered a game show based on the beloved word-based puzzle game, hosted by “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie and executive produced by “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon. The show will challenge players to solve five-letter word puzzles through a series of trials, pitting contestants against each other in both groups and individually. The winners will receive a cash prize.
Game show veteran Wes Kauble will serve as showrunner, while other executive producers include Caitlin Roper and Jonathan Knight for the New York Times and Jim Juvonen of Electric Hot Dog, Fallon’s production company.
“I feel very honored to be working with Savannah Guthrie on this show,” Fallon said in a statement. “Savannah has that rare combination of intelligence, charm and warmth that makes everyone feel instantly welcome. And she obviously knows how to host a show. I am SUPER PROUD and HAPPY and I think we developed a SOLID GAMER for PRIME-time.”
The series comes more than four years after the Times purchased Wordle for a reported low-seven-figure total. Since then, the puzzle game has helped bolster the Times’ subscription bundle offering of its journalism, collection of games, sports journalism through the Athletic and cooking recipes. The show’s existence was first reported in October.
“Wordle has become a defining daily experience for millions and a meaningful part of how people engage with The New York Times,” New York Times Company CEO Meredith Kopit Levien said in a statement. “In bringing it to television, we were intentional about finding partners to collaborate with who could both scale the experience and stay true to the beloved game. NBC, Jimmy Fallon and his team bring that expertise, and Savannah Guthrie’s talent and connection to the game makes her an ideal host. It reflects our broader approach of creating experiences people return to and share every day.”
Roper, who serves as the Times’ editorial director for film and TV, said in a Q&A published by the company that the Times had been considering how to elevate the game beyond its digital confines. Over time, she said, “It felt natural to explore ways to extend into a gameshow.”
“Working on the pilot episode with our partners, our showrunner, it was just a thrill,” she added. “Watching the contestants, real people who love Wordle battle it out, with Savannah there to cheer them on, it was a party. I can’t wait for the whole community of Wordle players to watch it.”
The production team is encouraging those eager to participate to apply here for the chance to travel to Europe and be a contestant.
