January is a big month for Ken Jennings.
The “Jeopardy!” legend — who won the “Greatest of All Time” tournament in January 2020 — is appearing alongside some fellow “Jeopardy!” greats in a new quiz show next month. He’ll also be returning to the “Jeopardy!” stage, this time taking on the role of host as the show works to find a replacement for Alex Trebek.
A new show
Starting Jan. 7, a new U.S. adaptation of “The Chase” — a British game show where contestants face off against trivia masters — will see Jennings, James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter taking turns as the “chaser,” doing their best to keep players from winning cash prizes, the Deseret News reported.
- “I think all of us bring our own spins to the thing,” Holzhauer told the Seattle Times during a recent Zoom interview. “Ken is a nicer guy than either Brad or I seem to be, and you get the sense that he feels really bad when he has to eliminate the contestants. I did not have this problem, shall we say.”
Hosted by Sarah Haines (“The View”), the first season of “The Chase” features nine hourlong episodes that cover a wide range of topics.
The show is part of ABC network’s efforts to move deeper into the game-show arena, according to Variety. Nearly 15 million viewers tuned in to ABC for each episode of the “Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time” tournament, putting it on a level with the 2019 NBA finals and the 2019 World Series, the Deseret News previously reported.
- “I could not have been happier when I saw those ratings,” Jennings told the Deseret News earlier this year. “‘Jeopardy!’ and ABC were blown away by those numbers. I love that the show is such a stalwart. Tonight’s episode of ‘Jeopardy!’ almost down to the second will be the same as an episode of ‘Jeopardy!’ from 1995 or 1985. They got it right the first time. And there’s just not a lot that’s like that in our culture, that never dumbed down or sped up.”
Episodes of “The Chase” will air Thursdays at 8 p.m. MT.
‘Jeopardy!’
“The Chase” filmed in November before Jennings headed to the “Jeopardy!” studio on Nov. 30 to begin his stint as an interim guest host.
- Jennings’ “Jeopardy!” episodes will air starting the week of Jan. 11, 2021, the Deseret News reported.
In April, a few months after winning the “Greatest of All Time” tournament, Jennings told the Deseret News that hosting “Jeopardy!” would be “a dream job.”
- “What a great job,” he said. “But I really can’t even think about anybody but (Trebek) hosting the show. He’s a hero to America’s nerds. I’m not emotionally prepared for turning on the TV and seeing anybody who’s not Alex Trebek — whether it’s me or not — hosting ‘Jeopardy!’ I’m just not ready to consider that yet.”
- “Jeopardy!” is not naming an official host at this time, and will announce additional guest hosts at a later date. Last month, Jennings tweeted that he’s “honored” to be helping out the show in this capacity.
- “Given the pressure that’s involved in anyone not named Alex Trebek having the job, I’m glad it’s not me up there,” Holzhauer recently told the Seattle Times. “I think (Ken) will do the best job he can. That’s all we can ask of him.”
- “We would all rather see Alex, I think it’s fair to say,” Rutter added. “But if it’s going to be anyone else, I’m glad it’s (Ken).”