Since Alex Trebek’s death, “Jeopardy!” — a show that hasn’t changed much over the years — has taken fans on a bit of a roller coaster ride.
Everyone from Aaron Rodgers to Katie Couric to Dr. Oz to LeVar Burton took turns hosting the beloved quiz show. Sony then announced that Mike Richards, who was the executive producer of “Jeopardy!” at the time, would take on the permanent position as host. Nine days later, Richards resigned as host. Several days after that, he was fired from his executive producer role. Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik then emerged as co-hosts for the majority of Season 38, which saw an explosion of “Jeopardy!” super champs — including Amy Schneider’s 40-game winning streak and Matt Amodio’s 38 victories.
Now, nearly two years since Trebek’s death, “Jeopardy!” is stabilizing once again. Last week, the show announced that Jennings and Bialik have signed deals to continue hosting the show, the Deseret News reported.
What did Ken Jennings say about hosting ‘Jeopardy!’?
Not long after “Jeopardy!” made the announcement, Jennings — who had a 74-game winning streak in 2004 and won the “Jeopardy!” Greatest of All Time tournament in 2020 — opened up about what this moment means to him.
“‘Jeopardy!’ has been a big part of my life since I was a kid, and I take the show and its legacy very seriously,” he shared on Twitter. “It’s been a singular honor to be associated with the talented staff and crew there for the past 18 (!) years.
“I’m not a professional broadcaster, obviously,” Jennings continued. “I still get nerves out there every single show. But I was lucky enough to watch Alex host Jeopardy! for decades — about as well as the job could possibly be done. I hope a drop of that Trebekian perfection slips through sometimes.”
When does the new season of ‘Jeopardy!’ begin?
Jennings will kick off Season 39 of “Jeopardy!” from September through December, Davies said in his statement. The highly anticipated Tournament of Champions — featuring several contestants from this past season who had spectacular runs, including Schneider and Amodio — will run during this time.
And Jennings can’t wait.
“An unprecedented lineup of super-champs …and a few surprises,” he wrote on Twitter. “If you’re a Jeopardy! fan, even a casual one, you’re not going to want to miss this.”
Bialik will then take over as host in January, although it’s unclear how long she will host due to her commitments to the sitcom “Call Me Kat.” The “Big Bang Theory” star will also host “Celebrity Jeopardy!” the “Jeopardy!” National College Championship and other new tournaments.
“We know you value consistency, so we will not flip-flop the hosts constantly and will keep you informed about the hosting schedule,” Davies said.
“Jeopardy!” is welcoming back live audiences for Season 39 — and tickets for some of the first shows back have already sold out.