Two months after Alex Trebek’s death, “Jeopardy!” has announced a series of guest hosts to help keep the beloved quiz show running.
“Jeopardy!” legend Ken Jennings, who won 74 games in 2004 and claimed the “Greatest of All Time” title in 2020, is currently a few days into his stint as guest host. Jennings taped 30 episodes and will be the guest host for at least six weeks, according to the Deseret News.
After Jennings, “Jeopardy!” will see at least four more guest hosts: Journalist Katie Couric, NFL star Aaron Rodgers, “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker and “Big Bang Theory” actress Mayim Bialik, the show announced Wednesday in a press release sent to the Deseret News.
The Los Angeles Times previously reported that Couric would likely be a “Jeopardy!” guest host. Couric will be the first female host of the show.
Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers QB who competed on “Celebrity Jeopardy!” in 2015, actually leaked the news he would be guest hosting during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, the Deseret News reported.
“I think I may have jumped the gun a little bit, so I apologize to ‘Jeopardy!’ if they wanted to announce it,” he said, according to the Deseret News. “I just got so excited.”
Bialik, an actress and neuroscientist well known for her role as Amy Farrah Fowler on the hit series “The Big Bang Theory,” and Whitaker, who has worked with “60 Minutes” since 2014, round out the list.
Each guest host will make a donation to the charity of their choice during their time on the show (the amount donated will equal the cumulative winnings of the contestants that compete during the weeks they host, according to the news release).
“Alex was a legend, revered by all of us,” said Mike Richards, the show’s executive producer, in a statement. “I want to thank our guest hosts, who will not only help all of us celebrate his great legacy, but also bring their own touch to the show.”
Richards will also serve as a host for two weeks to keep “Jeopardy!” running while the guest hosts prepare for their appearances, according to the news release.
So far, people have largely been satisfied with how Jennings has fulfilled his role as guest host, respecting him for honoring Trebek during each episode.
“Like all ‘Jeopardy!’ fans, I miss Alex,” an emotional Jennings said at the start of his hosting debut. “Very much. And I thank him for everything he did for all of us. Let’s be totally clear: No one will ever replace the great Alex Trebek, but we can honor him by playing the game he loved.”
Additional guest hosts will be announced later in the season.