LeVar Burton has his next gig lined up, having been selected to host the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee.  

Calling him “an accomplished actor and lifelong children’s literacy advocate,” Scripps said Burton would be hosting the semifinals and finals when it airs on TV next year.  

“I want to normalize the pursuit of knowledge in this culture. That wouldn’t be a bad thing, would it?” Burton told the Associated Press. “Not just making stuff up and calling it a fact. Achievement through knowledge, scholarship, putting in the work to gain the reward.” 

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Burton, who captivated children as the host of Reading Rainbow, said the spelling bee represents “the inspirational, aspirational ideal of education.” 

The announcement comes months after Burton was passed over to host Jeopardy! which was then embroiled in controversy after the hiring and firing of the show’s executive producer turned host Mike Richards.  

“Helping to tell the stories of these kids, that’s something that I know I can bring to the proceedings,” he told AP.