Jordan Karlesson
After finally inking deals with Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik, Jeopardy! is “spelling” out what the new hosts’ duties entail.
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Jeopardy! finally inked deals with the hosts on Wednesday, Executive Producer Michael Davies said statement on the game show’s website. Former Jeopardy! champ Jennings and Big Bang Theory actress Bialik will permanently share co-hosting duties with the show.
First, Jennings will launching the next season of Jeopardy! starting in September and continue doing so through December. He will also host the inaugural Second Chance competition and the Tournament of Champions, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Bialik will host Celebrity Jeopardy! on ABC in primetime before assuming Jennings’ role in January. Davies said Bialik will additionally host two new Jeopardy! tournaments, the Jeopardy! National College Championship, “and as many weeks as she can manage with her other primetime commitment to Call Me Kat.
The Long Road To Finding A New Jeopardy! Host … Err, Hosts
Davies acknowledged fans’ frustration with how long ABC took to find a replacement for Alex Trebek. The best-known game-show host of all time, Trebek died of pancreatic cancer in November 2020 at 80 years old.
ABC waited two years before making a final decision on who would succeed him. Jennings and Bialik took turns hosting the program prior to this week’s announcement.
At the onset of their search for Trebek’s replacement, producers tried a rotating cast of candidates to see if they would be a good fit for the show. One of those candidates, Anderson Cooper, drew the lowest ratings in the history of the show. The team behind the trivia program also considered NFL player Aaron Rodgers.
However, the most troubling development in the saga to replace Trebek came with a third candidate, Mike Richards. An executive producer of the quiz show, he initially seemed like a perfect fit. But in the end, he resigned after only hosting five episodes of the show. Offensive comments, and sexual harassment suits filed against him, torpedoed his chances of keeping the gig.
“We know you value consistency, so we will not flip-flop the hosts constantly and will keep you informed about the hosting schedule,” Davies stated in Wednesday’s statement.
He added: “Mayim and Ken are both extraordinarily talented and simply lovely humans,” Davies said Wednesday. “They support the staff and each other. They love and respect this institution of a television program. In return, the staff and I are honored to work alongside them.”
Mayim is NO good. Can’t stand her. Totally incompetent for the position. She should just stay on that sit com, which is garbage. She fits in that. Won’t watch Jeopardy when she is on.
She’s probably a nice person, but as a host of Jeopardy, she is not good! I don’t watch Jeopardy when she’s hosting! Ken Jennings is the best I’ve seen since Alex!
Totally agree. Ken is the best and should be the full time host. She is not a good fit and tune out when she’s hosting
Can’t stand Mayim. She is awful. We will not watch when she is hosting. She will wreck Jeapardy.
Alex Trebec had wanted Ken to move on in the position that he has been. He is the host of all time. The other one is just not that good. She has the ones she wants to win. She plays favorites. She needs to not be said as the host as she does not know the answers as well as Ken. Buzzy needs to be the other host.. she has too many things going in her life as she does not know the answers that well. She also says she is the host but should say she is the guest host. She needs to move on as a producer and director as she says she is. Make Ken Jennings as the permanent HOST. Then I will start watching full time again.
So hard to watch the misogynistic responses here. Ken is okay – and so is Mayim. It’s a GAME SHOW! The purpose is to watch the contestants play the game. They do that.
As the audience ( even at home), our job is to play along, to test ourselves, to learn something new, and to have some fun. You can pick your own “favorites” if you want, but there is no excuse for denigrating the contestants and/or hosts because they aren’t your favorites!
They should give the job to Ken permanently and get rid of her. Can’t stand her and her condescending attitude towards contestants. I will definitely NOT watch “Jeopardy” when she’s on nor will I watch any of her special tournaments. Ken has grow into the role and is doing a superb job. She, on the other hand, seems to be possessed with a God complex and feels she has a duty to let everyone know how smart she is although she has no personality. C’mon “Jeopardy producers – wake up!! Send her back to crappy sitcom land where she belongs!
I am thrilled Ken Jennings will be hosting. Will watch reluctantly when he is not.
Glad this schedule was posted so I will know which episodes not to watch. Love Ken Jennings. He is a natural 💕💕💕
Agree with all above, I do not watch when Ken is not on. Please make him the host all the time.