following the death of Gene Siskel. The guests were allowed to try out their wits with Roger Ebert and test the possible chemistry. Ebert and film director Martin Scorsese co-hosted one noteworthy episode about the best films of the 1990s. This format continued through the end of the 1998–99 season and into 2000 before Ebert named fellow Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper as his new permanent co-host. Critics substituting for Gene Siskel after his death The following critics substituted for Siskel after his death: David Ansen Peter Bogdanovich Jeff Greenfield Jane Horwitz Desson Howe Harry Knowles Joyce Kulhawik Norman Mark Janet Maslin Todd McCarthy Elvis Mitchell Joe Morgenstern Wesley Morris Howie Moshovitz Michaela Pereira David Poland B. Ruby Rich Richard Roeper (who would become one of the show's hosts from 2000 to 2008) Jonathan Rosenbaum Leah Rozen Lisa Schwarzbaum Martin Scorsese (film director) Tom Shales Joel Siegel (until their "Worst of 1999" show) Kenneth Turan Jan Wahl Michael Wilmington Ebert & Roeper and the Movies (2000–2001) The addition of Roeper as permanent co-host led to the show's name change on September 9–10, 2000 to Ebert & Roeper and the Movies. The show's name was shortened to Ebert & Roeper in September 2001. Ebert & Roeper (2001–2007) With the rebranding to Ebert & Roeper in 2001, the series gained a new set, replacing the one that had been used since its 1986 debut. In 2002, Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and underwent radiation treatments for tumors on his thyroid and a salivary gland while continuing to work. Complications led to an emergency operation in 2006, which interrupted his reviewing schedule. (A few reviews written or taped in advance were released shortly afterward.) For the remainder of the 2006–07 season, the show continued with guest hosts during his recuperation. By October 2006, Ebert had recovered sufficiently to resume writing published reviews on a limited basis; and later was able to make a few public appearances, but due to his difficulty speaking, he did not return to the show. As Ebert's doctors attempted to reconstruct his jaw bone, his face and neck became increasingly malformed with each subsequent surgery. Television being a distinctly visual medium, this put the producers on edge. They naturally worried that Ebert's resulting disfigurement would produce a decline in viewership, and lower ratings for the show. The show became available online toward the end of 2006, with access