'no nude scenes' bob barker retires

According to CBS, Bob Barker – Mr. Price is Right – will be retiring next summer.

“In June, Barker [wiki]will celebrate 50 years on television and 35 as host of the game show that asks people to guess the retail price of items in its showcases.” [cbc]

This December, he’ll be 83 years old (just two years younger than my Oma) and admits that some of the more physically demanding tasks of his job are getting harder to complete. I haven’t watched the show in so long although the Price is Right was a TV staple of my childhood. Pre-kindergarden and sick days, it would be on – Holly was always my favourite Barker’s beauty and Rod Roddy‘s vibrant jacket’s colours always bled on our old TV screen.

Do you still get a hundred dollar bill for guessing the price of the item up for bid from contestant row? Does Bob still make you reach into his pocket to fish it out? I know that all the lady’s used to give him a kiss whenever they’d get up on stage, that sly Bob. How about his appearance in Vancouver-filmed Happy Gilmore [imdb]? Good times.

No word yet about who will replace Barker.

“Freemantle Media, which owns “Price,” has been looking for Barker’s replacement for “two or three years,” Barker said. And he has some advice for whoever takes the job: learn the show’s 80 games backwards and forward.” [CNN]

Let’s just hope his name isn’t Regis.