Drew Barrymore is participating in the return of fan-favorite game show Hollywood Squares.
The famous actress began hosting her talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, in 2020 and will appear as one of the celebrities inside the squares.
A revamped version of the popular game show will arrive on CBS, and fans have also mentioned a noticeable change.
On Tuesday, comedian Gabriel Iglesias shared a sneak peek at the Hollywood Squares set with Barrymore and others in the clip.
Set to the Bruno Mars song Treasure, the video offers glimpses of the returning game show’s set and possible hints at other celebs who will participate.
Based on early reactions, fans seemed quite “surprised” by the game show’s look.
Iglesias reveals Hollywood Squares set and celebs ahead of game show’s return
In Iglesias’s Instagram video, the comedian is seated inside one of the squares in the show’s structure, usually including nine celebrities. His spot includes his name and nickname, “Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias,” below him.
The video gave a sneak peek at some of the names of other celebs who could appear in episodes of the show. A second row of squares features Triumph, which may be the wisecracking cigar-smoking dog that appeared on Conan O’Brien’s late-night shows.
Next to Triumph are spots for Barrymore and actor Oliver Hudson. Above them are squares for actress Yvette Nicole Brown, former NFL player Akbar Gbajabiamila, and comedian Whitney Cummings.
Barrymore appears several times in the video, posing her face close to Iglesias’s for the clip. She makes a kissy face near his cheek as Iglesias jokes by placing a hand over his mouth with a surprised look.
In other parts of the video, Hollywood Squares’ new host, Nate Burleson, appears on the set. Burleson is known for his NFL playing days and now co-anchors CBS Mornings alongside Gayle King and others.
Fans reacted to Hollywood Squares preview
As expected, social media reacted after the first look clip and photos featuring Barrymore, Iglesias, and the game show’s set arrived online.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, a fan shared photos of the set featuring Iglesias and seemed excited for the game show’s return.
“I’m LIVING FOR THIS. Thank You Hollywood Squares for doing the set right and not just recycling an old set!” they said in their post.
Additional commenters on the shared X post seemed to favor the updated set’s look.
One individual said they were “digging the wood-like flooring” and said it was “a different feel from the Black Shiny Floor of the Bergeron Era.”
“I’m too am glad it’s not the recycled Hip Hop Squares/Nashville/Celebrity Squares set. It’s definitely a better change than seeing them stacked in a 3. 3 grid,” another individual commented.
Hollywood Squares launched in the mid-1960s with Peter Marshall as host for 15 years. The game show’s concept features various celebrities in a grid structure resembling a large version of Tic Tac Toe.
Contestants earn their “X” or “O” by selecting a celebrity in a square who attempts to help them answer a question the host asks. The first contestant to get three X’s or O’s in the grid wins extra money.
John Davidson took over when the show returned in 1985, but his hosting only lasted until 1989. The show was off the air for nearly 10 years.
It returned in 1998 with Tom Bergeron as host for 15 years. Bergeron went on to star as host of ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos and Dancing With the Stars before stepping away from those gigs.
The new-look Hollywood Squares is returning after a 21-year hiatus. In June, Deadline reported that Burleson will be the newest host. As of this writing, the game show premieres on CBS in January 2025, but a specific date is unknown.
Based on early reactions, fans are excited to watch the revamped version of the classic game show.