'Match Game' Picked Up for Third Season by ABC, Host Alec Baldwin Inks First-Look Deal With Network
It's official: "Match Game" has been renewed for a second season by ABC.
The hit game show hosted by Alec Baldwin has been picked up for another installment, according to reports. ABC announced the renewal during the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Los Angeles on Sunday.
"Alec's quick wit, charm and star power set the stage for an unadulterated and can't-miss hour of television each week on 'Match Game,'" ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey said in a press release. "The series is an integral part of ABC 'Fun & Games,' and I'm glad to have it and Alec back."
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Although it ranks below other ABC game show revivals such as "The $100,000 Pyramid" and "Celebrity Family Feud," "Match Game" continues to post good ratings each season. In its second installment, which concluded earlier this year, the series had 3.35 million viewers and an average rating of 0.85 among the 18–49 demo (Live+ Same Day stats).
Aside from good ratings, the show also garnered a 2017 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program for Baldwin.
"Alec Baldwin is one of the most prolific, creative people in the entertainment industry," ABC Studios president Patrick Moran said in a statement (via Variety). "We're looking forward to channeling that creativity for our studio."
Additionally, Baldwin recently inked a first-look deal with ABC for his company, El Dorado Pictures. The firm is tasked to create project ideas that they would later produce.
Prior to his stint in "Match Game," Baldwin was involved with NBC for his work on "30 Rock." He also had a record-breaking number of hosting appearances on "Saturday Night Live" and is set to star in the live production of "A Few Good Men."
The third season of "Match Game" is expected to premiere next year on ABC.
