Ken Jennings’ time as “Jeopardy!” guest host is coming to an end.
On Friday, the “Greatest of All Time” champion will sign off for the final time. “Jeopardy!” ratings during Jennings’ stint as guest host have been strong — his debut week brought in an average of 10.3 million viewers, second this season only to Alex Trebek’s final week as host, the Deseret News previously reported.
Throughout his time as host, Jennings has frequently paid tribute to Trebek, the longtime host of the show who died from pancreatic cancer on Nov. 8, 2020.
“Sharing this stage with Alex Trebek was one of the greatest honors of my life,” Jennings said at the start of his debut as host on Jan. 11, according to the Deseret News. “Not many things in life are perfect, but Alex did this job pretty much perfectly for more than 36 years — and it was even better up close. We were dazzled by his intelligence, his charm, his grace — really, there’s no other word for it.
“Like all ‘Jeopardy!’ fans, I miss Alex,” he continued with emotion. “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.”
Following Jennings, “Jeopardy!” moves forward with a string of guest hosts. Here’s the latest schedule, according to the “Jeopardy!” website.
- Mike Richards, the executive producer of “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” — Feb. 22-March 5.
“I was very fortunate to have a front row seat to watch and study Alex,” Richards said in a statement. Stepping in as a guest host was incredibly humbling, emotional and a lot of fun. It will forever be the honor of my life.”
- Katie Couric, journalist and author — March 8-18
“It is such a thrill to be here guest hosting a show I’ve watched for years, and a real honor to help as we recover after Alex,” Couric said in a statement.
- Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of “The Dr. Oz Show” — air dates TBD.
- Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers quarterback — air dates TBD.
- Savanna Guthrie, co-anchor of NBC News’ “Today” — air dates TBD.
- Anderson Cooper, CNN anchor — air dates TBD.
- Mayim Bialik, actress and neuroscientist — air dates TBD.
- Bill Whitaker, “60 Minutes” correspondent — air dates TBD.
- Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN — air dates TBD.
Each guest host will make a donation to the charity of their choice during their time on the show, the Deseret News reported.
“Alex was a legend, revered by all of us,” Richards said in a statement, according to the Deseret News. “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.”