Mayim Bialik is officially back to hosting “Jeopardy!”
“The Big Bang Theory” actress returned to the game show days after champion Amy Schneider’s 40-win streak ended with Ken Jennings as host.
According to Good Housekeeping, Bialik is taking on her weekday hosting duties and hosting the quiz show’s spin-off — the National College Championship.
Bialk and Jennings have been sharing hosting duties — Bialik stepped in from Sept. 20 to Nov. 5. Then Jennings took over from Nov. 8 to Jan. 28. Per TV Insider, it’s uncertain how long Bialik will continue hosting but she will be presiding over the National College Championship until Feb. 22.
In an interview with Variety Magazine, Bialik talked about her experience on the show.
- “I stopped reading comments because some people were like, ‘She acts like she knows everything’ and other people were like ‘It’s clear she knows nothing.’ I’m like, well, it’s one or the other or somewhere in between. In terms of that, I try not to pay attention because people have such strong opinions about ‘Jeopardy!’’ she said.
- “I really try to be a neutral presence as much as possible so that it is not an issue. I get to be myself. I make a lot of stupid jokes. Ken and I both want to highlight our contestants, make them feel comfortable, make them feel good,” she added.
- “Speaking Jeopardese,” she said, has been the biggest learning curve. Her role requires her to deal with high-pressure situations while creating a unique response for every right answer and cue to commercial.
- “When things go wrong, it’s hard because wrong can mean they have to reset the whole board. Wrong can be very time-consuming,” Bialik added.
Currently, she is working on the second season of the sitcom “Call Me Kat” three weeks out of the month. The show is about an optimistic woman who defies social expectations and lives life on her own terms, according to IMDb. In March, when the show’s season has ended, Bialik will get to be on “Jeopardy!” full time.