‘Jeopardy!’ Host Ken Jennings Drops Big News About New Launch

Martin Smith
32 Comments
Ken Jennings
Jeopardy Inc

Ken Jennings is back as host of Jeopardy! on Friday, March 10, after the culmination of the show’s High School Reunion Tournament which has been fronted by Mayim Bialik. That’s good news for those viewers who have been missing the main tournament where the reigning champion before the break was Stephen Webb, who will be returning to face two new challengers on Friday.

Jennings will then host the show through April 28 before Bialik returns on May 1 to see the long-running quiz show through to its summer recess and the end of the current season. As for what happens when Jeopardy! returns for its landmark 40th season in the fall, nothing has been officially announced yet by the show’s bosses.

While he has been on hiatus Jennings has been busy with new launches away from Jeopardy! And now he is sharing details of his latest big new special project with fans.

In a tweet to his official account, Jennings revealed he has produced an audio book for kids. “Ken Jennings’ Junior Genius Guides: Greek Mythology” has just been released on @Audible and is the first in a series of seven from the Jeopardy! icon. “Read by me!” he proudly told his followers.

Jennings has been a busy bee away from the TV studios. On March 4 he unveiled another book he has written which is set to be published this summer.

“Exciting announcement: my new book comes out in June!” he wrote on Twitter. “It’s a travel guide to the afterlife, from ancient Egypt, all the way up to The Good Place. So you might want to order it soon, JUST IN CASE.”

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Meanwhile, Jennings has also been having fun telling fans what he does when he is not hosting Jeopardy!

“I go into one of those freezer cases from the Alien movies when Mayim is hosting, and vice versa.” he quipped on Twitter.

 


That sparked some wild reactions from followers who commented on Jennings’ Twitter account. Some got creative having a laugh at the thought of Ken getting put on ice, while others almost inevitably took the opportunity to say how much they missed him hosting the show.

 

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Conversation32 Comments

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  1. P

    PurpleDucky

    We only watch when he is hosting. Nothing personal against Mayim, she is just not a good host for the show.

    46 3

  2. A

    Allison Williams

    So is Jeopardy so popular that it is still considered a hit even when viewership drops off while Mayim is hosting? Or is Sony afraid to select a man over a woman for fear of being labeled anti-feminist?

    33 1

    1. B

      BlueLocomotive

      The ratings for the first week of Mayim already came in 5% lower than the previous week. All other syndicated game shows (besides Wheel of Fortune, whose ratings are more or less tied to Jeopardy viewership) rose in the ratings, and now Jeopardy is neck-and neck with Family Feud, which has been a distant second for most of the 2022-23 season. I'd imagine that further ratings numbers will drop as the weeks go on until Ken's return.

      29 1

      1. A

        Allison Williams

        You would think they would want to stop this brushfire before it becomes a complete forest fire. This is like a football team sticking with a losing coach when the fans clearly know what needs to be done.

        20 1

      2. P

        PurpleCorn

        I'm sure the advertisers will be keeping a close eye on these ratings, particularly when Mayim takes over from May through the end of the year. There is the potential for catastrophe, which is particularly something to avoid ahead of a milestone 40th anniversary season.

        16

      3. P

        PurpleButterfly

        Not to mention that this ratings batch was for the beginning of the coveted February sweeps period, making it an even more brutal set of circumstances.

        15

  3. R

    RedPretzel

    Show is absolutely unwatchable without Ken. We stuck through the first three episodes, somewhat begrudgingly, and then quit. Luckily there is an account on Twitter (IsKenHosting) that says when Ken will host, so we're just going to be following it as long as this two-host system is in place.

    31 4

    1. B

      BlueLocomotive

      Thanks, I just followed this account!

      17 1

  4. R

    RedPalmtree

    I guess you could call my husband and me "Jeopardy snow birds." We watch the show when Ken Jennings hosts and fly away when Mayim comes.

    24 4

  5. P

    PurpleBug

    Will be back when Ken is back & on hiatus from show when he leaves.

    14 3

  6. C

    CyanStrawberry

    Mayim is greatly improving.

    But as in Highlander...

    '...there can be only one.'

    And that one, Mr. Jennings, is you.

    10 1

  7. G

    GoldFlame

    PLEASE bring Ken Jennings back on Jeopardy

    9 1

  8. B

    BlueSword

    I prefer Ken on regular Jeopardy, he has the ability to put the contestants as most important, which is the point of the show. I like Mayim on Celebrity Jeopardy, she shines there.

    7

  9. R

    RedCupcake

    I will not watch Jeopardy with that lady hosting

    11 4

  10. G

    GreenWrench

    I’m glad to see Ken whenever he’s on. Also, I really like Mayim. I think they both are great hosts. They honor Alex, they are smart and entertaining. I wish people would stop hating on either of them.

    10 4

  11. K

    Kelly Wilson

    Just get rid of the bialik. I hate her and I will NOT watch Jeopardy! while she's a host. I say again: I will NOT watch Jeopardy! while the biialik hosts. She is worse than awful. She does a hideous job at hosting. Go back to fOX.

    5 3

  12. R

    RedQuill

    It continues to mind boggling that people don't want to watch jeopardy if Mayim host. I see no difference in the game show ITSELF. These two host host differently. Let them do their job. And appreciate the game. Jeopardy will always be the same no matter what. It's a show that allows everyone to learn new things and be proud of the contestants. REMEMBER IN THE WORDS OD ALEX TREBEK. THE CONTESTANTS ARE THE STARS NOT THE HOSTS!!!!!!...To all the ones complaining

    .shut up or don't watch. And let the Alex TREBEK stage show move on with his most sincerest words.

    RIP ALEX TREBEK

    LONG LIVE JEOPARDY!!!

    16 15

    1. O

      OrangeBike

      Couldn't agree more. Do you people honestly watch that show for the host? I hardly notice who's the host, and don't really care

      2 2

  13. O

    OliveGrapes

    Ken is right for the show! Mayim is not a good fit. Simple as that

    1

  14. O

    OliveBox

    Mayim gives the impression that the program is about her and she is just acting out a role. She’s ruined the program each time she “hosts” lt….. as my Momma would say, she is putting on a show about herself. Please let Ken Jennings host the show by himself……Ken maintains the dignity of the program just as Alex Trebek did…. You are losing more viewers every time Mayim attempts to host the show…..

    1

  15. J

    Jena

    This site is getting ridiculous. Two or three "articles" each day that are supposedly about Jeopardy or Jennings.

    Pure clickbait. This site has really gone downhill.

    1 3

    1. B

      BlueCactus

      No reply

      1

  16. B

    Blue8Ball

    People need to get over it, the station made a choice to have two hosts. Enjoy the show and quit complaining.

    3 12

    1. K

      Kelly Wilson

      No. I hate the bialik. And I won't watch her at all. You get over it. You're very much in the minority too (I'm glad to say). I'll watch Jeopardy! from March 10 through April 28. And not beyond that date, until Ken returns.

      17 3

  17. O

    OrangeScissors

    I'm sick of this nonsense. If fans are that tired of Mayim being the host. Sony made there choice because they like them both as host. If you don't like her as host, then petition Sony to remove her as host or stop watching altogether. All this crying by fans over the last year and half makes you all sound like a bunch of babies. If your watching because of the host, then why are you watching. It's about the players. Everyone one of you want her gone and some Ken are all a bunch of losers.

    4 27

    1. G

      GreenRocket

      I think that something I've learned throughout the entirety of this host saga is that the one the executives choose absolutely can make or break the show. Ken should have been the sole host, but thankfully there are the resources in place to make sure that I never have to tune into a Mayim episode. Alex would be disgusted to have seen how this played out.

      28 3

      1. O

        OrangeScissors

        Are you kidding me. Alex would be disgusted with how this played out. He'd be embarassred by how the fans are reacting to them hating one host and should be watching for the players. I'lll say it again. If you hate her that much, file a petition with Sony to get her removed.

        20

        1. G

          GoldSubmarine

          Petitions are unnecessary when you have freefalling ratings that should theoretically achieve the same result.

          18

          1. O

            OrangeScissors

            How is the ratings free fallling. Prove it. Put a link that proves there is a significant drop.

            15

        2. O

          OrangeScissors

          One more thought. Why is it when there is an article that has nothing to do with the hosts but more about the show, fan still complain about Mayim. It makes everyone of you sound like a bunch of crybabies. There is no way they are going to drop her as the host if Sony think she's doing a great job. They probably saw all the complaints last season and they still kept her on has one the two host. Why. Because they 100% believe in her. Get over it fans. She's not going anywhere. If you're that upset, I'll say it again, file a petition to have her removed or stop watching altogether because Jeopardy doesn't deserve fans that hate one of there host.

          1 15

          1. C

            CyanPin

            I don't think she's going anywhere as far as her primetime duties. That was what she was initially slated for (only) in the first place, but the whole disaster with their original choice of host upset the entire thing, and now we're here. Of course, that doesn't mean they have to stick with her as a co-host in the syndicated version, though. That said, I agree about the widespread complaining by viewers as a whole, and I think it all started with the post-Alex carousel of hosts, which unintentially or not encouraged viewers to "pick sides" of hosts, and on the filp side heavily criticize the ones they didn't like. It's carried over to the constant nitpicking of every single aspect of the appearance and/or physical ticks of all the players, too. (And it doesn't help the cause when sites like this one, as it did a few weeks ago, posts an article listing the "most annoying players" ever on the show.)

            5

            1. O

              OrangeScissors

              You're right. Hiring Mike Richards was what started this whole mess. I personally believe they're both doing a good job. Each host has a different personality with different quirks. For the fans that want Mayim gone, if Sony sees a huge difference in the ratings between Ken and Mayim, then maybe they'll make Ken permanent of the regular show. If it's only a slight difference then she isn't going anywhere. Plus, what we don't know is when they announced over the summer that they would be splitting duties as host, is did they both sign long term contracts.

              1