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(Image credit: CBS Entertainment)
For nearly two decades, Drew Carey has been the face of one of the best TV game shows, but when he first took over hosting duties for The Price is Right from the late, great Bob Barker, he wasn’t necessarily thinking about breaking records or leaving a lasting legacy. His biggest concern instead? Just making sure he didn’t get the classic series canceled. Clearly successful on that front, the Whose Line Is It Anyway? alum had addressed how long he plans to continue hosting one of daytime TV’s longest-running staples.
Speaking to Us Weekly about his long tenure of shepherding pricing games, Plinko and more, Carey reflected on the initial fears he had to tamp down when he first stepped into the hosting gig in 2007. The comedian explained:
I had no idea. I mainly didn’t want to get the show canceled or be responsible for ruining such an institution. Once I got comfortable after a couple of years, it felt like it was more my show instead of me just being a steward of somebody else’s.
That shift from cautious newcomer to confident host didn’t happen overnight, obviously. But after nearly two decades of him holding the slender microphone, The Price Is Right feels like it’s just as much Drew Carey’s show as it once was Barker’s. The former sitcome star is now the longest-serving game show host on the air, a title previously held by Pat Sajak before he retired from Wheel Of Fortune.
But how long does he see himself standing behind that famous podium? Well, Drew Carey has no plans to go anywhere different in the foreseeable future. He continued:
And now I just want to do it forever, as long as I’m mentally and physically able to show up. It’s such a fun thing! The money’s nice, but it’s just a cool job. I don’t have to go to work, I get to go to work! It’s a privilege to be here, an honor. So we’ll see how long I hold up.
You love to see it. Hosting The Price Is Right isn’t just a paycheck; it’s a gig he genuinely enjoys. And really, who wouldn’t? Getting to hand out life-changing prizes while celebrating over-the-top contestant reactions sounds like one of the best jobs in television. And echoing “Come on down!” on a daily basis can’t hurt.
When Carey took over in 2007, some fans were skeptical about whether he could fill the Barker’s shoes after the latter had been synonymous with the show for decades. But over the years, the spectacled funnyman has put his own stamp on the series, making it feel fresh and modern while keeping the same warm, welcoming energy that’s been a go-to tune-in option for sick kids staying home from school. We’re talking 9,000 episodes at this point.
The long-running game show, which first debuted in 1956 before its revival in 1972, has seen its fair share of hosts, but Carey has now been at the helm longer than many probably realize. As of 2024, he’s hosted the show for 17 years—just over half of Barker’s legendary 35-year run. And if his enthusiasm is any indication, he might just be around for another 17.
