Jimmy Fallon is bringing Wordle from phone screens to television screens. NBC is piloting a game show adaptation of the viral word puzzle with Fallon's production company, currently filming in the UK with Savannah Guthrie as host. The move represents another attempt to capitalize on digital gaming phenomena for traditional broadcast television.
NBC is betting that America's Wordle obsession can translate into appointment television. The network has greenlit a pilot for a game show adaptation of the viral word puzzle, with Jimmy Fallon's production company behind the cameras and Savannah Guthrie as host. Production is already underway in the UK, according to Deadline.
Fallon's connection to Wordle runs deeper than most celebrity endorsements. Back in early 2022, during the peak of Wordle mania, he dedicated an entire Tonight Show segment to solving a puzzle live on air. The timing was perfect – the segment aired just before The New York Times acquired Wordle from creator Josh Wardle for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.
But that Tonight Show segment also highlighted the challenge facing this TV adaptation. Watching Fallon methodically work through guesses felt frustrating rather than engaging – viewers wanted to shout out their own answers. The format worked better as a personal daily ritual than as spectator entertainment.
The key to success might lie in borrowed DNA from existing game shows. Lingo, which has enjoyed multiple revivals over the decades, already perfected the art of competitive word puzzling on television. Teams race against each other and the clock to solve Wordle-style grids, creating the kind of tension and pacing that keeps audiences engaged. If NBC's Wordle show can capture that competitive energy rather than the solitary meditation of the original game, it might have a shot.
Wordle's cultural impact certainly supports the gamble. The puzzle became a genuine phenomenon, with millions of daily players sharing their results across social media through those distinctive colored grids. The New York Times has successfully maintained that momentum, integrating Wordle into its broader games portfolio alongside classics like the crossword puzzle.
The entertainment industry has a mixed track record with digital-to-television adaptations. Some concepts translate naturally – think of how video game streaming became Twitch, then influenced shows like Netflix's gaming competitions. Others, like most attempts to turn mobile games into TV formats, feel forced and lose what made the original compelling.
