RuPaul Charles is joining the ranks of game show hosts on CBS.
The producer, entertainer and drag queen (“supermodel of the world” RuPaul) will host a new version of “Lingo,” a word-twisting game for the network’s primetime lineup. Charles will also serve as executive producer.
Here’s how the show works, per CBS: Teams of two will face off in puzzle rounds. They’ll have to guess letters that reveal seemingly simple words. At the end of each one-hour episode, the winning two teams will make it through to a nerve-wracking final showdown where one team will walk away with a big cash prize.
“We’re all ready to have fun again, and ‘Lingo’ is the answer,” Charles said in a statement.
“Lingo” first made its debut in the 1980s, and recently had a run on the U.K.’s ITV, where it set ratings records.
“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,” Mitch Graham, SVP of Alternative Programming for CBS said in a statement. “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.”
Layla Smith, Objective Media group chief executive officer added in a statement: “We are O-V-E-R the M-O-O-N to be making ‘Lingo’ for America with CBS and the amazing RuPaul.”
Fans of Charles know the entertainer’s love of game shows. Charles took inspiration from the game show classic “Match Game” – including those long, skinny host mics of old – for “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” re-imagining it as “Snatch Game.”
A premiere date will be announced later this year.