CBS Delays ‘Hollywood Squares’ Premiere Due to Wildfires

CBS has postponed the premiere of its rebooted game show ‘Hollywood Squares‘ to Thursday, January 16, at 8 p.m. ET, due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. The show was originally scheduled to air on January 9.

In place of the premiere, CBS will air encore episodes of ‘George and Mandy’s First Marriage’ and ‘Ghosts‘ during the 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET slots, followed by a repeat of ‘Matlock‘ at 10 p.m. ET. The network plans to maintain this schedule for the following week.

Hosted by Nate Burleson and featuring Drew Barrymore as the center square, the new iteration of ‘Hollywood Squares’ mirrors the classic format. Contestants judge the accuracy of celebrity answers to win squares in a tic-tac-toe-style game. The celebrity lineup includes Tyra Banks, Julie Bowen, Yvette Nicole Brown, Whitney Cummings, Akbar Gbajabiamila, Tiffany Haddish, Oliver Hudson, Pete Holmes, Gabriel Iglesias, Jo Koy, Jay Leno, Justin Long, Kevin Nealon, RuPaul, Andrew Rannells, Kristen Schaal, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Sheryl Underwood, and Jimmy O. Yang.

Barrymore, who also serves as an executive producer, shared her enthusiasm for the reboot during a behind-the-scenes interview. ‘This show is personal for me because it made me so happy when I was a kid,’ she said. ‘I kept pushing for it because I felt it would be good in the world. When is it a bad time to go to a party and laugh and see people win things?’

Burleson, who co-hosts ‘CBS Mornings’ and ‘The NFL Today,’ expressed his excitement about stepping into the role previously held by hosts like Peter Marshall and Tom Bergeron. ‘It crosses over generations,’ he said. ‘You’re sitting at home, seeing celebs and stars cracking jokes, going right up to the edge and making you laugh until your stomach hurts.’

The show, which originally aired from 1966 to 1980, has seen multiple revivals over the decades. This latest version aims to capture the irreverent humor and playful spirit of its predecessors while introducing it to a new audience. ‘Hollywood Squares’ will move to its regular time slot on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET starting January 29.