Richard Osman has confirmed he is stepping down from House of Games following nine years at the helm of the BBC Two quiz programme.
The 55-year-old broadcaster and novelist broke the news on his podcast, The Rest is Entertainment, revealing that one final week of filming remains before he departs.
"I am leaving House of Games. It will no longer be Richard Osman's House of Games. It will be somebody else's House of Games. I gladly hand over the keys," he said.
Mr Osman described presenting the show since its 2017 launch as "such a great pleasure, and honour" while working with "the absolute best team in television".
Richard Osman has quit BBC House of Games
|BBC
He added that he felt it was "time to let someone else have a go" and expressed excitement about handing over to his successor.
Rob Unsworth, the BBC's Head of Daytime, paid tribute to Osman's impact on the programme.
"Richard Osman has established House of Games as one of our best-loved shows," Mr Unsworth said.
"His contribution to its success is impossible to overstate, and we couldn't be more grateful for his work over the last nine years."
Richard Osman has fronted the BBC quiz show for nine years
|BBC
The BBC executive wished Mr Osman continued success in his future endeavours while confirming that viewers would soon learn the identity of the programme's new presenter.
"We also look forward to sharing with viewers who the House of Games's next resident will be and will have more on that soon," he added.
The format sees four celebrities competing for daily prizes across five episodes each week, a structure that has remained consistent throughout Mr Osman's tenure.
This marks the second major quiz show departure for Mr Osman, who previously stepped away from Pointless in April 2022 after more than a decade alongside Alexander Armstrong.
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House of Games has been on air since 2017
|BBC
His stint on the BBC One programme spanned 13 years, encompassing nearly 30 series and more than 1,300 episodes.
Upon leaving Pointless, Mr Osman spoke warmly of the experience, calling it "a joy from start to finish" and praising his co-host, the production team, and the audience.
"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," he said at the time.
Mr Osman was not initially intended to appear on screen for Pointless but was asked to continue after demonstrating the format for BBC executives.
Richard Osman has revealed someone else take over as House of Games host
|GETTY
Beyond television, Mr Osman has established himself as a bestselling author through his Thursday Murder Club cosy crime series, which has now grown to five novels.
The books reached the screen last year when Netflix released a film adaptation of the first novel, with Steven Spielberg serving as producer and a cast featuring Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan.
Before stepping in front of the camera, Mr Osman spent two decades working behind the scenes in television production, rising to creative director at Endemol UK.
His production credits include Deal or No Deal, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Total Wipeout, and Whose Line is it Anyway?