RuPaul Charles to Host ‘Lingo’ Game Show For CBS

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.