Whatever Happened To Food Network's Unwrapped Host, Marc Summers?

I grew up knowing Marc Summers from the Nickelodeon show "Double Dare." Summers hosted the kid-centered trivia and obstacle course game show from 1986 to 1994, and I'm fairly certain my brother and I tuned into every single episode during that time frame. His next longstanding gig came in 2001, when he became the host of Food Network's "Unwrapped," a role he kept until 2011. The show was an entertaining, informative, and just plain fun program that had Summers dive into the history of various food items. Between new episodes and reruns, it seemed like you could catch Summers on TV many times on any given day.

While you don't regularly see him getting slimed on Nickelodeon or explaining how all the flavors of Skittles, discontinued now or not, are made on Food Network anymore, Summers has stayed plenty busy since he wrapped "Unwrapped." Now in his early 70s, no one would be surprised if he decided to quit working and enjoy retired life, but that isn't the case. In May 2024, he told People, "Well, I have a hard time retiring. I tried to stop about five years ago, and the idea, I mean, I walk a lot and I have lunch with friends, but I was just too bored." 

Currently, Summers hosts a podcast called "Marc Summers Unwraps" in which he interviews all kinds of entertainers, including Al Roker, Guy Fieri (who's being sued by a winner of his own Food Network show), Howie Mandel, and Nikki Boyer, and "unwraps" their personal stories of navigating the industries they're in. And even before starting his podcast, Summers participated in a number of roles both in front of and behind the cameras.

Being the host of "Unwrapped" was just one way Marc Summers was involved with Food Network. He hosted several other shows for the network, including "The Next Food Network Star" and "Ultimate Recipe Showdown," and behind the scenes, Summers acted as an executive producer of "Restaurant: Impossible," "Dinner: Impossible," and "Food Feuds." At one point during his career — October 17, 1994, to be precise — he even had a food feud of his own with "Smokey and the Bandit" actor Burt Reynolds, when they both appeared on "The Tonight Show." After some verbal banter and the two men throwing water on each other, the tension between them climaxed when they slung cream pies in each other's faces while on the air.

Since "Unwrapped," Summers made guest appearances on the relaunch of Nickelodeon's "Double Dare" from 2018 to 2019, and most recently, he introduced his acting chops on television and Broadway. In December 2024, Summers starred in the Hallmark film "Hanukkah on the Rocks," and he had a one-man off-Broadway show called "The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers" until early June 2025. 

Summers has also faced numerous personal struggles throughout his long career, including obsessive compulsive disorder, three cancer diagnoses, and a devastating car accident, all of which he's come out on top from. On the personal front, he continues to hang out with fellow Food Network alumni. For instance, a September 2025 Instagram post sees him dining with Emeril Lagasse. Ultimately, although you may not see his face like you used to on TV, Marc Summers continues to be an entertainment inspiration.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.