Casting News: New Scrabble Host, Kaia Gerber in Ryan Murphy Series and More

Comedian Craig Ferguson is taking over as host of The CW‘s Scrabble, replacing Raven-Symoné, who will remain an executive producer on the recently renewed game show.

Both Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, hosted by LeVar Burton, have been picked up for 30-episode second seasons to air in 2026 on The CW.

“We are excited to continue growing family game night on The CW by bringing a supersized order of 30 new episodes of both Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble to the network next year,” Heather Olander, Head of Unscripted Programming for The CW, said in a statement. “The one and only LeVar Burton is back as host for Trivial Pursuit, and we welcome superstar comedian Craig Ferguson to The CW family as the new host of Scrabble. We are also incredibly grateful and lucky that Raven-Symoné will continue to work with us as executive producer of the series.”

Added Ferguson: “I’m cock-a-hoop to be hosting Scrabble. I’ve wanted to do this show ever since I found out the letters of my name can be used to spell Cougar Fingers.”

In other recent casting news…

* Kaia Gerber (Overcompensating, American Horror Story) will star in Ryan Murphy’s series adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis prep school thriller novel The Shards, which is in early development at FX, our sister site Deadline reports.

* Leslie Mann (Knocked Up) and Gabrielle Union (Truth Be Told, Being Mary Jane) are being eyed to star in the Strangers On a Train-esque thriller series Strangers, which is in development at Peacock, per Deadline.

* Hallmark Channel’s Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story will star Holland Roden (Teen Wolf), Matthew Daddario (Shadowhunters), Tony Danza (Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Who’s the Boss?), Tracy Pollan (Family Ties), Caroline Aaron (Ghosts, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Steve Schirripa (Blue Bloods, The Sopranos) and Patti Murin (Broadway’s Frozen, Chicago Med). Premiering during this year’s Countdown to Christmas, the movie will also feature Buffalo Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott, Running Back Ray Davis, Safety Damar Hamlin, Offensive Tackle Dion Dawkins, Tight End Dawson Knox, Long Snapper Reid Ferguson, Defensive Tackle DeWayne Carter and Wide Receiver Joshua Palmer, plus Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly, former teammates Steve Tasker, Thurman Thomas, Scott Norwood and Andre Reed, Bills play-by-play announcer Chris Brown and broadcast journalist/die-hard Bills fan Tim Russert’s son, Luke Russert.