Wordle might soon make its television debut as NBC develops a game show inspired by the popular puzzle from the New York Times.
Produced by Jimmy Fallon through his Electric Hot Dog production company, the project will be hosted by Savannah Guthrie, the anchor of “Today.” The pilot episode is currently in production in the United Kingdom, with Universal Television Alternative Studio also on board.
NBC representatives have not provided any further comments regarding the show.
Wordle, created by software engineer Josh Wardle in 2021, gained immense popularity during the pandemic, attracting millions of players daily. In January 2022, The New York Times bought Wordle for a reported seven-figure sum, revealing that the game was played 5.3 billion times as of 2024.
In the game, participants have six attempts to guess a randomly selected five-letter word, utilizing color-coded tiles to guide their guesses. In January 2022, Fallon demonstrated the game on “The Tonight Show” with assistance from Questlove, the drummer of the Roots, showcasing how Wordle might translate to an interactive TV experience.
If the Wordle TV show gets the green light, it will become part of Fallon’s extensive lineup on NBC, which includes his late-night program, the revamped “Password” hosted by Keke Palmer, “That’s My Jam,” and the newly launched business competition series “On Brand.”
Guthrie has been a longstanding presence at NBC, co-hosting “Today” for more than ten years. She has also served as the network’s chief legal analyst and made a special appearance as herself in the NBC sitcom “30 Rock.”
