Valerie Bertinelli is certainly one of Hollywood’s most adaptable abilities, and now she’s taking over a brand new function as host of Sport Present Community’s Bingo Blitz. The brand new sequence combines bingo play with trivia challenges and affords a grand prize of $10,000 to the winners.
Bertinelli has been in present enterprise since she was only a youngster, along with her first award-winning function in One Day at a Time coming when she was simply a youngster. Since then, she’s made many alternative profession strikes, together with internet hosting cooking exhibits for Meals Community and being a model ambassador, and Bingo Blitz is her newest pivot to one thing totally new.
So what can we count on from Bertinelli’s flip as sport present host? What had been the challenges and rewards of this new TV journey for her? Right here, the Hollywood legend offers us a preview.
What drew you to Bingo Blitz?
I like video games. I most likely have nearly each board sport that’s ever been made… I like sport present that you just wish to play at house. This had all of the components of the enjoyable. I like trivia. It was good for me.
What board video games do you’re keen on most?
Love Monopoly. I like enjoying Rummikub… And I’ve a bunch of video games on my cellphone that I play means too usually and shouldn’t spend cash on, however I do.
How does it evaluate to internet hosting cooking competitions?
I don’t have to evaluate anyone, which makes me really feel lots higher…It’s additionally very nice to see somebody go house with $10,000!
Are you able to speak concerning the format?
It’s a little bit little bit of a cross between Jeopardy! and Who Needs to Be a Millionaire? It offers you an opportunity, and the trivia is so enjoyable… It’s positively the type of factor that you just’re you’re gonna like to play at house.
Had been there any surprises to internet hosting that you just didn’t count on?
I used to be shocked at how a lot enjoyable it’s as a result of I used to be a little bit intimidated by all of the speaking that has to occur, all the knowledge that you must give, the entire trivia, and getting the phrases proper. I’m a queen of mispronunciation!
What different sport exhibits do you take pleasure in?
Hollywood Squares — all the time beloved that. I’d truly performed Hollywood Squares after I was a youngster, quite a lot of enjoyable. I beloved Household Feud. That was all the time enjoyable. I beloved Password. Watching Password, a number of the outdated clips of Betty [White], so superb… And naturally, who doesn’t love watching Jeopardy!?
Did Betty ever provide you with recommendation about sport exhibits?
No, probably not. She wasn’t apt to provide recommendation. It was simply simply being round her and seeing simply her gratitude for all times and the world and the life she was dwelling, that was all the teachings I wanted. Simply to look at that lady transfer on the earth of tv. And I bought to be along with her for 5 years, working along with her [on Hot in Cleveland], and it’s like having a grasp class each day on what it’s wish to be a comic and a girl and on this enterprise. She was only a phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal human.
How do you make banter with contestants?
Nicely, I used to be fortunate, as a result of there have been solely two contestants, so I might actually get to know them. However we did do six exhibits a day, so I used to be assembly quite a lot of new individuals each day. And it’s simply enjoyable to see the place they’re from… see what they do for a dwelling, see the place they reside. I simply discover individuals fascinating anyway. In order that was type of the simplest half for me.
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Which sport present hosts are your favorites?
I like Michael Strahan. I believe he’s simply lovely… I’ve a gentle spot in my coronary heart for Wink Martindale. I beloved his title, and I used to be on the Rose Bowl parade when he was on one of many floats, and I similar to a little bit woman. I assumed that was so cool to fulfill any individual well-known… Alex Trebek, he was superb. And we truly did an episode of Scorching in Cleveland — tremendous enjoyable man to be round.
So that you’ve all the time been on the fringe of sport exhibits earlier than this?
I positively really feel like a beginner on this world… It’s the primary time I’ve been on Sport Present Community. I like all people that works there. They’re actually nice individuals. So I really feel like I’m a brand new child on the block a little bit bit, yeah.
You’ve performed lots in your profession. What does it imply to strive yet one more new factor?
It’s type of superb that they let me simply go wherever I wish to go and have enjoyable there. I’m a really fortunate woman. The gratitude will not be misplaced on me.
You’ve been in present enterprise because you had been a baby. How does it really feel to look again at all the things you’ve performed?
I can’t imagine I’ve been doing this for so long as I’ve. It’s type of stunning as a result of I reside my life every day, and I attempt to keep within the current as a lot as doable. However then somebody will convey one thing up like, “Oh, yeah, that occurred.” That’s wild! Or I’ll take into consideration simply the ’80s alone and the stress that I went by way of and the people who I bought to fulfill, it’s type of superb. I can’t imagine that I truly reside this life. It’s a little bit surreal.
Bingo Blitz, sequence premiere, April 14, GSN