Actor, podcaster, and reading advocate LeVar Burton will be the host of this year’s National Book Awards ceremony.

That offer was rescinded by the National Book Foundation after she announced she’d return to doing her talk show during the Writers Guild of America’s strike.

She eventually reversed that position after strike supporters picketed her show, but not before losing out on the hosting job.

“Our commitment is to ensure that the focus of the Awards remains on celebrating writers and books, and we are grateful to Ms. Barrymore and her team for their understanding in this situation.”

Burton is known for his role as Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next GEneration, as well as for his time hosting the PBS children’s show Reading Rainbow.

His breakout role was as Kunta Kinte in the 1977 television miniseries Roots, based on the 1976 novel written by Alex Haley.

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