Travis Kelce to host ‘Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?’: Excited to follow in ‘footsteps of so many TV icons’

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Travis Kelce’s year just continues to be a bust-out game changer.

The NFL star, who helped lead his Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl championship over San Francisco in February, will now host the game show “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” for Prime Video.

Oh, and his relationship with the world’s biggest pop star, Taylor Swift, continues to be hot and heavy.

Not too shabby.

Travis Kelce in action during Super Bowl LVIII, in which his Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime. Getty Images
Travis Kelce in action during Super Bowl LVIII, in which his Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime. Getty Images
Travis Kelce and girlfriend Taylor Swift share an embrace after Kelce’s Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. Getty Images
Travis Kelce and girlfriend Taylor Swift share an embrace after Kelce’s Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. Getty Images

While word emerged earlier this year that Kelce was in talks to host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” it’s now official, according to Deadline. There’s no premiere date yet.

This won’t be Kelce’s first TV gig; he starred in the reality dating show “Catching Kelce” (2016) for USA Network and signed with CAA last spring with an eye toward more TV work.

Kelce was reportedly in talks to host “a major new music competition series” for one of the networks but the deal never came to fruition.

His deal with Prime Video is to host 20 episodes of “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” which is a reboot of the old Fox series “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, which aired from 2007 to 2009 and again in 2015. (John Cena hosted a version of that show on Nickelodeon in 2019.)

Jeff Foxworthy during his time hosting the Fox game show “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” CR: Erica Parise/FOX
Jeff Foxworthy during his time hosting the Fox game show “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” CR: Erica Parise/FOX

According to Deadline, each episode of the show will feature a classroom full of celebrities to help an adult contestant answer 11 questions on different subjects that are pulled from an elementary school curriculum for the grand prize of $100,000.

On April 11, Travis Kelce (and his brother, Jason, not pictured) were surprised in Cincinnati at an event. I. Marley/Cincinnati Athletics / MEGA
On April 11, Travis Kelce (and his brother, Jason, not pictured) were surprised in Cincinnati at an event. I. Marley/Cincinnati Athletics / MEGA

Each contestant enlists the celebrities’ help and can even “cheat” off them, if necessary. On the final $100,000 question — always on the 6th-grade level — the contestant picks one celebrity to discuss the answer before “locking in” with their final answer.

The showrunner will be “Beat Shazam” creator Wes Kauble who will also be an executive producer alongside Mark Burnett, according to Deadline.

“I grew up loving game shows, and I’m excited to be following in the footsteps of so many TV icons by hosting my very first one with ‘Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?'” Kelce said in a statement. “The original show is a great success, so to be bringing a new format with everyone’s favorite celebrities to the screen, will definitely be entertaining.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift take in the shore while on vacation on Harbour Island, Bahamas, on March 21, 2024. Mega/BackGrid
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift take in the shore while on vacation on Harbour Island, Bahamas, on March 21, 2024. Mega/BackGrid

“I’m just happy to be on the hosting side of the equation here and excited to see how these famous faces keep up.”

Kelce’s footprint in the entertainment business continues to grow.

Travis Kelce hosting his “New Heights” sports podcast. New Heights Podcast
Travis Kelce hosting his “New Heights” sports podcast. New Heights Podcast

He’s producing a documentary called “King Pleasure,” about artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and recently launched his own music festival called Kelce Jam, according to the Hollywood Reporter. It will take place April 28 in Kansas City with headliners Machine Gun Kelly and Ross.

Kelce also co-hosts the sports podcast “New Heights.”