NBC GREENLIGHTS "WORDLE" GAME SHOW FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JIMMY FALLON AND THE NEW YORK TIMES

Savannah Guthrie to Host New Series from Universal Television Alternative Studio, Fallon's Electric Hot Dog and The New York Times

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - May 11, 2026 - NBC has greenlit a new game show series based on "Wordle," the globally beloved word game from The New York Times Games. 

Produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio (UTAS), in partnership with Jimmy Fallon's Electric Hot Dog and The New York Times, the series brings the global phenomenon to television with a fresh, fast-paced format. Originally launched in 2021 and acquired by The New York Times in 2022, Wordle has become a cultural phenomenon, engaging millions of daily players worldwide and inspiring conversation across generations. 

An avid "Wordle" player, "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie will serve as host of the primetime gameshow. The new format challenges players to solve five-letter word puzzles in a supersized battle of smarts, speed and fun. It builds on the way the puzzle community engages with Wordle every day - solving together, sharing wins, debating strategies and cheering one another on. Now, that style of play comes to life as the most-obsessed and competitive players will team up in squads and go head-to-head in the "Wordle" arena, playing for an incredible cash prize.

"I feel very honored to be working with Savannah Guthrie on this show," said Fallon "Savannah has that rare combination of intelligence, charm, and warmth that makes everyone feel instantly welcome. And she obviously knows how to host a show. I am SUPER PROUD and HAPPY and I think we developed a SOLID GAMER for PRIME-time.

"Wordle is one of the most successful and culturally resonant games of the past decade," said Sharon Vuong, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Programming, NBC. "This series is a natural extension of NBC's legacy in the game show space, and with the incredible Savannah at the helm and our partners at UTAS, Electric Hot Dog and The New York Times, we're excited to bring a smart, joyful and distinctly NBC take to this global phenomenon."

"We're eager, happy, giddy - all of those five-letter words and more - to bring Wordle to life for television," said Toby Gorman, President, Universal Television Alternative Studio. "The New York Times word game has been played billions of times, and our goal is to create an equally addictive show. Savannah brings the perfect blend of warmth and wit to deliver exactly that."

"Several years ago, The New York Times began developing a Wordle game show. Teaming up with Jimmy Fallon to develop the game for NBC was a perfect fit," says Caitlin Roper, executive editorial director of film and tv at the Times. "We wanted to honor the specific thrill of Wordle, the way people play and share their scores with each other, but also make something new for TV. Like Jimmy, Savannah is a passionate Wordle player-she even solved on TV in Times Square. No one gets what our contestants will go through like she does."

Casting for the season is currently open, interested applicants can visit wordle.castingcrane.com. Production on the show is set to begin later this year and is slated to premiere in 2027.

"Wordle" is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Fallon's production company, Electric Hot Dog and The New York Times.  Jimmy Fallon and Jim Juvonen serve as executive producers for Electric Hot Dog with Caitlin Roper and Jonathan Knight serving as executive producers for The New York Times.   Wes Kauble will also executive produce and serve as showrunner. 

The "Wordle" format will be licensed globally by NBCUniversal Formats, a division of Universal Studio Group.

About NBCUniversal

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