The ride’s over for Discovery Network’s Cash Cab. Vulture has learned exclusively that, after nearly seven years and more than 200 episodes, the cable network has decided to halt production on the Emmy–winning game show. A Discovery PR rep confirmed the demise. Hosted by Ben Bailey, Cab tweaked the conventional quizzer format by recruiting its contestants from the ranks of unsuspecting taxi passengers. Folks hopped in expecting a cab ride but were then told they were on a TV game show and had a chance to win money by answering questions as they drove toward their destination.
Because it usually aired outside of prime time, Discovery never made a big deal out of the show’s Nielsen ratings, but TV insiders clearly loved it. Cash Cab beat out veterans such as Jeopardy! and The Price is Right to win the Daytime Emmy for Best Game Show in 2008, 2009, and 2010; Bailey won for Best Host in 2010. Repeats of the show will continue to air in syndication, and it’s possible producer Lion Television could shop the show, which was based on a European format, to other cable networks. Meanwhile, city commuters looking to get rich can only hope that somewhere, someone is working on Bus Billionaire.