ABC/Richard Cartwright(LOS ANGELES) — When Who Wants to Be a Millionaire returns to ABC Sunday for its second-season premiere, it’ll pay tribute to its former host: the late TV legend Regis Philbin.
Philbin hosted the primetime version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire from its 1999 debut and for all of its primetime run and limited returns and specials through 2009. ABC will remember Regis with a nearly two-minute video retrospective of his time on the show, that includes current host Jimmy Kimmel remembering having Regis on the set of the current Millionaire incarnation, which debuted last year.
“It was exciting to just have him there,” Kimmel says. “Because I’m hosting this show, but this is his show.”
Later in the video, Kimmel tells Philbin during a visit to the new Who Wants to Be a Millionaire set: “No one will ever be better at doing this than you. No one. Never. And I’m not just being false humble by saying that. It’s true. You’re the best.”
“And that’s why people love this game,” Kimmel goes on. “It’s a great game, but Regis is the reason.”
Philbin died of natural causes July 25, one month shy of his 89th birthday.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire returns Sunday, October 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT on ABC.
By Christopher Watson
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