Why isn't Richard Osman on Pointless?
The comedian will no longer appear on Pointless – but why has he left the show?
BBC One's Pointless returns to our screens, with a new line-up of contestants hoping to win money by providing totally obscure answers to general knowledge questions.
While fans won't be surprised to see Alexander Armstrong back at the helm of the hugely successful quiz show, you may be wondering why his longtime co-host Richard Osman isn't behind his iconic Pointless desk.
Unfortunately, Osman announced back in April that he would be leaving his role as co-presenter of Pointless despite fronting the gameshow for nearly 13 years.
But why has he decided to leave and who is replacing him? Here's everything we know so far.
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Why has Richard Osman left Pointless?
It was a sad day for Pointless fans back in April when Richard Osman, who has hosted the show alongside Alexander Armstrong since 2009, announced he was stepping down from his role.
The comedian and Pointless creator said in a statement that the job had 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," he added. "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 12 amazing years."
While Osman didn't say why he was leaving the show, Armstrong implied in his statement that his co-presenter would be leaving to focus on his crime novel career after the success of his books The Thursday Murder Club and The Man Who Died Twice.
"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," he said.
"But at least I still get him at weekends – and weekdays if you’re watching on Challenge."
Not to fear – Osman will still be the co-host of Celebrity Pointless, a spin-off show in which celebrities compete to win money for their selected charities.
Who is replacing Richard Osman on Pointless?
There won't be just one host taking Osman's place behind his iconic desk but several, with BBC One announcing that the show will feature a rotating line-up of guest co-presenters.
Those joining Alexander Armstrong on the show include Stephen Mangan, Konnie Huq, Sally Lindsay, Alex Brooker, Lauren Laverne and Ed Gamble, who'll each be taking it in turns to reveal which answers are pointless on the show.
Speaking about the guest line-up, Armstrong said: "This is going to be such a ride!
"Richard will still be in once a week on Saturdays to make sure everything’s ticking over nicely, but otherwise it’s just me bringing new Pointless friends in and showing them the ropes. Loads of new and fun personalities on the desk next to me. I can’t wait."
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