Jimmy Kimmel on Finally Getting to Host ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ With a Studio Audience, and the Two Celebrities Who Made the Crowd Cry

variety.com:

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Jimmy Kimmel is finally hosting “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” the way it’s supposed to be done — in front of a studio audience.

The landmark game show returns with an all-celeb edition for its 25th anniversary on Wednesday night, and although this is the third season he’s been in the chair that Regis Philbin made famous, this is the first time fans have finally been allowed back in the studio. “I really wanted to do it the proper way in front of people because you like to hear people laugh at your jokes,” Kimmel says. “Also, the drama that goes along with a couple of hundred people watching the action happen is an important part of the show.

I mean, doing the show in front of nobody is no fun.” But that’s what Kimmel had to do in March 2020 when he first came on to host the primetime series’ revival.

The first edition was shot without a studio audience but managed to still shoot just hours before the COVID-19 stay-at-home directives were issued.