The Mole is an American reality game show that aired on ABC. It was based on other versions of The Mole that have aired in numerous countries. The Mole was produced by Stone Stanley Entertainment for its first four seasons. It was cancelled but was later picked up again after a four year hiatus. The fifth season was produced by Stone & Co. Entertainment.
The series is a reality competition in which the contestants work as a group to add money to a pot that only one of them will eventually win. Among the contestants is one person who has been designated “the Mole” by the producers and is tasked with sabotaging the group’s money-making efforts. At the end of each episode, the contestant who knows the least about the mole, as decided by the results of a quiz, is eliminated from the game.
The series was first hosted by news reporter Anderson Cooper; for the third season, Ahmad Rashād replaced Cooper, and Rashād was in turn replaced by Jon Kelley for the fifth season. The third and fourth seasons featured celebrity contestants instead of average citizens. The series’ logo is a bright green thumbprint.