The Host of ‘The Joe Schmo Show’ Revival Is a Familiar Face Among Reality TV Lovers

When it comes to trends, anything that was once old can be new again. The nostalgia of the early 2000s remains a top era to pay homage to, as many of the songs from the era have been sampled (I cringe every time I hear one of my childhood faves on an artist I'm not familiar with's songs) and many early 2000s fashions are now 2020s chic.

The love for the early 2000s has also trickled down to TV, as many shows are being rebooted for fans who remember the series's first run.

In January 2025, TBS relaunched its popular early 2000s show, The Joe Schmo Show. The parody show follows a target person, or people are led to believe they are contestants on a reality television show. However, all of the other participants in the faux reality show – including the host – are actors.

At the center of The Joe Schmo Show is a host setting the unknowing contestant off their scent. Fortunately, the conniving host is a familiar staple of reality TV competitions.

On Jan. 21, 2025, The Joe Schmo Show aired its fourth season, 11 years after the last season ended on TBS in March 2013. The new episodes stars Cat Deeley as the host, who helps contestant Ben Frisone unknowingly navigate a fake reality show called The Goat. Frisone told TVInsider that he was challenged to compete with other hopefuls, aka paid actors, for $100,000 by "doing daily games and living in the same house."

As previously shared, The Joe Schmo Show's host, Cat, is no stranger to a little competition, though this is her first fake one. The UK native has been hosting since the '90s, which is when she got her start on ITV's children's show, SMTV Live. Cat's time on the show earned her a BAFTA Children's Award for the show. She continued getting hosting gigs for London-based events like The Record of the Year, Fame Academy, The 2004 Brit Awards, and Stars in Their Eyes in the 2000s before the U.S. eventually came calling.

In 2006, Cat was selected to replace Lauren Sánchez as the host of So You Think You Can Dance. The host's time on the show earned her multiple Emmy nods and guest spots on shows like Shake It Up, starring Zendaya and Bella Thorne. And while she's booked other hosting gigs since SYTYCD, the show remains Cat's staple show.

Although fans may recognize Cat more from So You Think You Can Dance, she hopes to make her mark on The Joe Schmo Show. The host told TVInsider that she's already making sure this show is different and worth the monstrous non-disclosure agreement (NDA) she had to sign to get on the show. Cat shared that one of her initiatives was to make Frisone's experience one fans would talk about online, but not at the expense of his dignity.

"I said, ‘If you want someone to be mean to the person who doesn’t know he’s on… I’m not your girl," she told the outlet. "It can be funny. We can do silly stuff, but not mean."

Catch Cat on The Joe Schmo Show on Tuesdays on TBS at 9 p.m. EST.