Mayim Bialik & Ken Jennings to Host ‘Jeopardy!’ Through the End of 2021
It doesn’t sound like we’re going to have a permanent Jeopardy! host for a while, following Mike Richards’ brief stint and subsequent exit from the gig.
Instead, two established guest hosts will be splitting the duties for the rest of 2021: Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings. Bialik will host several weeks of episodes beginning Monday, September 20 and airing through November 5. Then, she and Jennings will trade off, depending on their schedules. This comes after Bialik was also announced as the host for primetime specials and spinoffs.
Richards was named as the permanent host and taped a week’s worth of episodes before his exit following past controversial statements and lawsuits being uncovered. (His episodes began airing on Monday, September 13.) It was less than two weeks after it was announced he was out as host that his departure as executive producer on both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune came.
“We had hoped that when Mike stepped down from the host position at Jeopardy! it would have minimized the disruption and internal difficulties we have all experienced these last few weeks,” Suzanne Prete, Sony Pictures Television’s EVP of Business and Strategy for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, said in a letter to the staff at the time. “That clearly has not happened.”
During the first search for a new permanent host following Alex Trebek’s passing, Jeopardy! featured several guest hosts including Bialik, Jennings, Richards, Katie Couric, Dr. Mehmet Oz, footballer Aaron Rodgers, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Bill Whitaker, Savannah Guthrie, Buzzy Cohen, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, LeVar Burton, David Faber, and Joe Buck.
Jeopardy! is currently in its 38th season in syndication and is produced by Sony Pictures Television.
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C
Why would you stop watching a show that you love just because of whom the host is?
Think of Alex - he'd be too professional to do that. I'm watching Richards because he's on now - I love the show, can't stand the 'I'm a man in control and I can do whatever I want to' Richards. There are a few of the Guest Hosts that I would not want to watch, but, hey, the contestants are the Stars.
(And I won, Mayim AND Ken, and I hope Buzzy gets some time . . .)
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R
I don't understand why they're doing this all over again! Just make Buzzy Cohen the host. He's great!
14 5
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C
i don't understand why you would want ken or mayik when buzzy is so very good as the host of the program. jennings already is on master minds and the chase. how many programs does he need to be on? as you can tell i am not a fan of his. my opinion in opinion. imho buzzy is the best persp for the job.
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C
Both are good choices... Both are very smart. And are likeable , At least to me they are. And they need to settle this show down and make permanent host/s instead of the revolving door ones....
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A
Great that Ken Jennings will host some more "Jeopardy!" eps!
10 2
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B
Buzzy Cohen is a shining star (host)!! Great personality! I don't understand why you guys don't get it. Intelligent perfect host.
10 3
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B
They need to go ahead with naming Ken Jennings permanent regular host. He has shown on The Chase that his personality can be funny and compelling.
Myaim can be the special contests host, that’s fine.
12 6
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G
Both are great choices. I especially love to see Ken Jennings full time.
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G
Good choice. Mike Richards good choice too. Something said years ago in nuts. Guess I didn’t see when our construction changed
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P
Love to see Sarah Whitcomb get a shot. She has read a lot of the clues over the years and does a great job. Be fun to see her as a guest host.
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P
Bialik is ruining what Alex made great. She is offensive in a number of ways. The host needs poise and personality. You definitely have not found that with the current host.
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C
I LOVE Mayim Bialik! She's smart and funny! I think she should be the permanent host, if it's something she wants to be!
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O
Prefer Jennings.
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O
Prefer Buzzy! Ken 2nd choice..but Mayim?..why? She's not a good fit, but that's my opinion. Plus she already has a lot of irons in the fire. Just hire Buzzy & be done with it!
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O
Can never replace alex
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G
Sarah Whitcomb and Jimmy McGuire should host some Jeopardy episodes.
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P
Love the show, knew finding someone the caliber of Trebek as his replacement would be very difficult- but Ken Jennings, while a great contestant, makes a poor host on sooo many levels!
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G
I like Mayim, but I never watch any episode with Ego Jennings. Can't stand him.
3 6
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G
I'm just the opposite, I can tolerate Jennings but have to resort to using closed captioning when Mayim is on. Having suffered through her years on TBBT because I loved the show, I refuse to listen to her anymore. I want Buzzy as permanent host.
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