Richard Osman is to leave the BBC One quiz show Pointless after 12 years, the corporation has confirmed. The 51-year-old has appeared on the show since 2009, filming more than 1,300 episodes across nearly 30 series. However, his increasing success as a crime novelist has led to his departure from the daytime programme.
Host Alexander Armstrong will remain on Pointless, and Osman will continue to appear on the celebrity spin-off. He will also continue to present his own BBC Two show House of Games. In a statement, Osman said: 'Pointless has been a joy from start to finish, working alongside my friend Alexander Armstrong, backed by the most wonderful team, and for the best viewers in the world.'
The BBC has confirmed that no new episodes of Pointless Celebrities will air in 2026. Osman will not be immediately replaced with a permanent new co-host; instead, Armstrong will be joined by a series of rotating guest presenters, details of which will be announced later this year.
Osman created the format for Pointless and originally stood in during rehearsals before being cast as Armstrong's on-screen co-host. The show's format requires contestants to identify the least popular answers to questions posed to 100 members of the public, with obscure knowledge helping them win the Pointless trophy.
Osman's Thursday Murder Club series has become a global bestseller, with a film adaptation in the works after rights were bought by Steven Spielberg. Writing on Twitter, Osman said the books had 'become such a juggernaut around the world I simply couldn't keep up with my schedule'.
