Celebrity Name Game
A syndicated game show based on the board game Identity Crisis.
Celebrity Name Game, a syndicated game show, first aired on September 22, 2014. It was adapted from the board game Identity Crisis, created by Laura Robinson and Richard Gerrits. Courteney Cox and David Arquette’s Coquette Productions developed the series, initially aiming for a CBS primetime slot with Craig Ferguson as host. Instead, FremantleMedia and Debmar-Mercury picked it up for syndication in 2014. Ferguson, who left The Late Late Show on December 19, 2014, stayed on as host and executive producer. This was Coquette’s first game show project. A second season premiered on September 21, 2015. Ferguson won Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host in 2015 and 2016, with another nomination in 2017. The series was canceled on December 2, 2016, after three seasons, and its final episode aired on February 28, 2017.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Game show
- Based on
- Identity Crisis
- Laura Robinson
- Richard Gerrits
- Director
- Ivan Dudynsky
- Presenter
- Craig Ferguson
- Theme music
- Tim Mosher & Stoker
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Editor
- Stacie Dekker
- Daniel Wincentsen
- Jason Gill
- Victor Gonzaga
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- A board game based on the show, featuring Craig Ferguson on the cover, was released by PlayMonster in 2016.
- An Australian version hosted by Grant Denyer aired from May 13, 2019, until March 16, 2020, on Network Ten.
- Reruns of the show have aired on Pop and Buzzr, and on February 9, 2026, the show returned to Buzzr airing weekdays at 1pm ET.
Production
In June 2011, it was reported that Courteney Cox and David Arquette's Coquette Productions were preparing to pilot a new, hour-long game show for CBS's primetime lineup known as Identity Crisis, based on a board game of the same name produced by Out and About Productions. Scott St. John, known for his work on Deal or No Deal and 1 vs. 100, was brought on as a showrunner. CBS selected Craig Ferguson, host of the network's late night talk show The Late Late Show, to be host and producer for the pilot. The series resurfaced in October 2013 under the title Celebrity Name Game, with the announcement that FremantleMedia and Debmar-Mercury would syndicate the new series for the 2014–15 television season. Fremantle's CEO Thom Beers described Celebrity Name Game as a 'hilarious and innovative rapid-fire game show that combines the best of pop culture with the best of comedy.' Ferguson remained with the project through its transition to syndication, considering it to be 'a wonderful concept with such great potential, from two of my favorite people.' Ferguson later announced in April 2014 that he would step down as host of The Late Late Show in December 2014. Debmar-Mercury and Fremantle planned to market the new series to station owners as a complement to Family Feud—whose current incarnation, hosted by fellow comedian Steve Harvey, has been a ratings success for the two companies. In November 2013, Tribune Broadcasting picked up Celebrity Name Game for its stations, giving it clearance across 40% of U.S. households and seven of the top ten media markets. In December 2013, it reached 80% of households through additional deals with CBS Television Stations and Sinclair Broadcast Group; episodes were also added to the primetime national clearance slate of MyNetworkTV. In Canada, Celebrity Name Game airs on City and GameTV. The series was renewed for a second season on January 8, 2015. On December 2, 2016, it was announced that the series would not return for a fourth season. The series' final new episode aired on February 28, 2017.
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