Most popular TV hosts of all time

- Share of people who have heard of host: 88%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 50%

Rachael Ray is one of the rare stars who was able to make the switch from cooking show to talk show with tremendous success. Ray got her start on the Food Network with "$40 a Day," where she would travel around the country trying to spend only that much money on three meals—a fantastical concept in today's world, but this was 2002. Her follow-up show, "30 Minute Meals," was a bigger hit. It ran from 2001 to 2012 and helped get "EVOO" added to the dictionary. But Ray's most notable achievement was her eponymous show, which ran in syndication from 2006 to 2023. "Rachael Ray" went far beyond cooking to explore lifestyle more broadly, and over the course of its 17 seasons, Ray interviewed everyone from Reba McEntire to Michelle Obama.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 80%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 51%

Pat Sajak has hosted "Wheel of Fortune" since 1981. He's become a household name and has received 22 nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host and has won three times. He was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 2011. In June 2024, Sajak ended his more-than-40-year run as the host of "Wheel of Fortune," passing the mic to new host Ryan Seacrest in September.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 94%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 51%

Martha Stewart first became renowned worldwide as both a businesswoman and a lifestyle guru with her 1990 magazine "Martha Stewart Living." She then launched a TV show of the same name in 1993. After being convicted of insider trading in 2004, Stewart served her time and went on to host TV specials and series like "Martha Bakes," "Martha Cooks," and "Martha Gardens." She's also famous for her unlikely partnership with rapper Snoop Dogg, who frequently appears alongside Stewart on TV. The two hosted their own cooking show, "Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party" on VH1.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 73%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 51%

While he got his start in sketch comedy shows like "Mad TV" and "Key & Peele," Keegan-Michael Key is now probably best known as an actor. He's been on shows like "Abbott Elementary," "Elsbeth," and "Schmigadoon," and starred in films like "Wonka," "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," and "Transformers One." Amid all those achievements, Key has also tried his hand at hosting—first with a season of "Brain Games," National Geographic's pop science series; and then with the short-lived "Game On!," CBS' sports-centric comedy game show.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 89%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 56%

A multi-hyphenate in the entertainment industry, Howie Mandel is known to most as the popular host of "Deal or No Deal." Mandel has also been a judge on "America's Got Talent" since 2010, as well as on its 2024 spinoff "America's Got Talent: Fantasy League." In recent years, he's also helmed the "How Mandel Does Stuff" podcast and Netflix's "Bull---- the Game Show."

- Share of people who have heard of host: 95%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 52%

Jimmy Fallon first gained traction on Los Angeles' stand-up comedy circuit before scoring his big break in 1998 as a cast member of "Saturday Night Live." He continued to appear on the sketch show for six years, playing exaggerated versions of celebs like Mick Jagger and hosting "Weekend Update" until 2004, when he departed to venture into acting. Though his acting career ultimately didn't take off, Fallon instead scored a gig hosting "Late Night" for NBC in 2009. Now one of the most famous faces on television, Fallon has hosted "The Tonight Show" since 2014.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 85%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 52%

Comedian and actor Jon Stewart took over Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" in 1999 and helped turn the irreverent series into a must-watch satirical news show. Stewart became one of the most trusted liberal voices, confronting politicians and letting his own frustration and bafflement over the direction of the country shine through. He has also been an outspoken advocate, whether at 2010's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear or in his efforts to make sure 9/11 first responders get the health benefits they need. Though he stepped away from the spotlight for some time, Stewart returned with an Apple TV+ show, "The Problem With Jon Stewart," in 2021. Following that series' cancellation, he resumed his "Daily Show" duties, and will remain one of the rotating hosts through at least the end of 2025.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 88%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 52%

Depending on when you were born, you may know Barbara Walters as a host of "The Today Show" in the '60s; as the first woman anchor on a nightly newscast ("ABC News") in the '70s; as an investigative journalist on "20/20" starting in the '80s; or as the creator and co-host of "The View" in the '90s. She died in 2022 at 93 and is remembered for the incredible number of hats she wore and the accolades she earned throughout her 60-year journalism career.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 88%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 52%

Bill Nye created and hosted the television program "Bill Nye the Science Guy" from 1993 to 1998 and taught a generation of young viewers about science. He also hosted 2017's Netflix series, "Bill Nye Saves the World." On Jan. 4, 2025, he was awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 92%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 52%

Now most famous for his nearly 20-year stint as the host of "Late Show with David Letterman," David Letterman first hosted his own morning show in 1980, followed by 11 years hosting "Late Night with David Letterman." As of January 2025, he's hosted five seasons of Netflix's "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman."

- Share of people who have heard of host: 86%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 53%

Guy Fieri has been one of the most recognizable faces on the Food Network for almost two decades. In 2006, he won "The Next Food Network Star," and he's been on the ascent ever since. While he's appeared on a number of shows—including "Dinner: Impossible" and "The Best Thing I Ever Ate"—he's best known as the host of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," which has produced over 500 episodes. Fieri's other great Food Network success, "Guy's Grocery Games," has been going strong since 2013, with nearly as many episodes under its belt. Outside of TV, Fieri's Flavortown empire has expanded with a number of restaurants.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 79%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 53%

After the popularity of her now-iconic cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," Julia Child found herself hosting the successful and influential cooking program "The French Chef" from 1962–1973. She went on to spend the next three decades of her career hosting various other instructional cooking programs, including the popular "The Way to Cook" video series. She died in 2004 due to kidney failure.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 82%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 54%

Pat Sajak may have hung up his "Wheel of Fortune" hosting duties in 2024, but his longtime co-host Vanna White is still going strong. For more than four decades White has been revealing the letters on the show's game board, always with a smile and some applause. In fact, in 2013, she was named the Most Frequent Clapper by the Guinness Book of World Records, which estimated that she claps about 600 times per episode.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 82%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 54%

Dick Clark is most famous for his work hosting the television program "American Bandstand" from 1956 to 1989. He's also well-known for hosting "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" alongside the famous ball drop in New York's Times Square. A stroke in 2004 effectively ended his career; he died in 2012.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 95%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 54%

Jimmy Kimmel got his start in radio before taking on his first television gig: hosting the game show "Win Ben Stein's Money" in 1997. After winning a Daytime Emmy for Best Game Show Host alongside Stein in 1999, Kimmel went on to lead "The Man Show" and "Crank Yankers" for Comedy Central, both of which became major hits for the network. In 2003, ABC launched "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and the rest is history. As of January 2025, Kimmel is the nation's longest-running late-night talk show host.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 86%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 54%

After gaining notoriety as a comedian and the star of his own self-titled sitcom, Drew Carey went on to have a successful hosting career. He has become well-known as the host of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and even replaced Bob Barker as the host of "The Price Is Right" in 2007.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 93%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 55%

Before his days of (publicly) calling people "idiot sandwiches," Scottish chef Gordon Ramsay operated a string of Michelin-star-winning restaurants around the world. He's since built a brand on his famously short temper, delivering memorable rants on TV shows like "Kitchen Nightmares," "Hell's Kitchen," and "Masterchef." In addition to hosting more than a dozen series for both American and British audiences, Ramsay continues to open acclaimed restaurants and has published multiple bestselling books, including an autobiography titled "Roasting in Hell's Kitchen." In January 2024, he launched a YouTube series titled—what else?—"Idiot Sandwich."

- Share of people who have heard of host: 96%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 55%

Prolific in many ways, Steve Harvey has hosted a slew of television programs including his own show, "Steve Harvey," and the podcast "The Steve Harvey Morning Show." Harvey hosted the Miss Universe pageant from 2015 to 2021, even though he infamously crowned the wrong winner in 2015. He's also made waves as a host of "Family Feud" and "Celebrity Family Feud."

- Share of people who have heard of host: 90%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 55%

Jay Leno appeared nightly on the TVs of millions of Americans as the host of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" from 1992 to 2009 (and again from 2010 to 2014). He went on to host a number of other shows including "The Jay Leno Show," "Jay Leno's Garage," and a 2021 revival of "You Bet Your Life."

- Share of people who have heard of host: 85%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 58%

Known during his career as "the most trusted man in America," Walter Cronkite served as anchorman for 19 years on "CBS Evening News." His humanity was burned into the national consciousness during his reportage in 1963 on the assassination of U.S. President John Kennedy. He won several awards for his work as a reporter, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After his "Evening News" run ended in 1981, Cronkite hosted the Kennedy Center Honors until 2002. He died in 2009.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 92%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 59%

Early in Conan O'Brien's career, he honed his comedy chops with gigs writing for "Saturday Night Live" and "The Simpsons." He then took the airwaves by storm as a popular late-night host: first, on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" from 1993–2009; followed by an infamously brief run as the host of NBC's "The Tonight Show"; and most recently, on his own program, "Conan," from 2010–2021. O'Brien also hosts a podcast called "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend." The podcast also spawned a new TV hosting gig for O'Brien: the 2024 Max travel series "Conan O'Brien Must Go," which sees the longtime late-night fixture meet up with fans around the world, from Thailand to Argentina.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 83%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 61%

Johnny Carson is best known for his tenure as the host of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" from 1962 to 1992. He received six Primetime Emmy Awards for his work. During his tenure, Carson hosted more than 8,000 episodes. He died in 2005 after battling emphysema.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 87%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 61%

One of the most famous game show hosts of all time, Bob Barker hosted "The Price Is Right" from 1972 to 2007. He famously ended each episode with a reminder to audiences to get their pets spayed or neutered. He died in 2023 at the age of 99.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 86%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 63%

Although Alex Trebek got his start hosting game shows like "The Wizard of Odds" and "Double Dare," he's best known as the face and voice of "Jeopardy!" which he hosted from 1984 until his death in 2020. For his work on "Jeopardy!" Trebek won eight Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host.

- Share of people who have heard of host: 83%
- Share of people who have positive opinion of host: 67%

Internationally beloved, Steve Irwin was a zookeeper and conservationist who taught a generation of audiences about animals with his program, "The Crocodile Hunter," from 1997 to 2004—two years before his untimely death. He also hosted a number of other animal-related programs with his wife Terri including "Croc Files" and "New Breed Vets."