(Note: The original version of this article said that this was for the entirety of Season 38. This has been clarified and will be until the end of 2021.)
Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings have been tapped to split hosting the rest of 2021 of Jeopardy!, according to reports released today.
Bialik has already taped episodes this season, with the run beginning Monday and ending in early November. She will also be hosting the show’s prime time offerings. Jennings was a guest host last season who also taped six weeks’ worth of episodes last season. Jennings first came to prominence in 2004 when he won 74 straight games; he also won the show’s Greatest of All Time tournament in 2020.
Sony’s original host choice, Mike Richards, was fired in August after taping one week of episodes.
Editorially: I would like to remind fans that in most polls commissioned in the past year, it seemed as though no single person polled more than 20%. That means that 80% of people were not going to get their first choice. We as fans are going to need to come together and rally around the chosen pick at some point. Both Mayim and Ken are popular with the production staff and are more than capable of taking the franchise forward. With further reports from the show surfacing that this is only until the end of calendar year 2021, this may also bring Aaron Rodgers (whose Packers lost terribly on the weekend to the New Orleans Saints) back into the stable of potential hosts.
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Yes, I agree that either of them could be good at it. I feel that many of the actual hosting issues people had with Mayim can be smoothed out like not giggling. We have to remember she only got to tape over 2 days so she had very little time to adjust. I’m hoping she’s adjusted to limit her reactions now. Ken was pretty smooth from the beginning so I’d be fine with him hosting.
Question…..the articles talk about the Jeopardy prime time shows. What are those and when do they start. I have no clue what those are. Thanks
There is a “National College Championship” series scheduled for early 2022, the first in a series of prime time special series hosted by Bialik.
The original reporting has been updated to reflect that the two will host through the rest of the calendar year, not the rest of the season.
Yes; the article has been updated accordingly!
Thanks, Andy! Keep up the great work with the site! 🙂
^ Whoops, that was meant to be a reply to your reply.
Will Mayim and Ken be introduced as “hosts”, as “guest hosts”, or as something else? I guess we’ll know on Monday.
I still hope that Jimmy and Sarah will be given chances or considered. They both fit all the things I want to see with a new host:
Jeopardy Audience already likes them
They know how to read a question well
They know how to interview well
They know trivia, enough to respond quickly
They’re not an unknown to Jeopardy and have ties to the show
They don’t bring any external baggage from stuff outside of the show
Jeopardy fans are already used to their cadence
They’re not huge outside-of-Jeopardy names that could take spotlight from the players
Pretty much every guest host we’ve seen has some issue along these lines, but they would check every box for what would be great in a new permanent host. It still kind of baffles me that neither of them has even been thought of as a guest host option, even if they don’t want to be the permanent host. Either of them would be great to see.
Honestly wouldn’t be shocked if they make this a permanent arrangement allows both to host and pursue other projects
I would be happy either of the two. As long as Dr Oz stays away.
I think Aaron Rogers would be a great permanent host. He is articulate and pronounces foreign languages well. He is personable to the contestants and to the TV audience. He has a smooth voice and is very easy to look at. He is intelligent.
I don’t think he retires though I think he probably goes to a new team
Who are Jimmy and Sarah
The two remaining members of the Clue Crew who have been a part of the show for 20 years at this point.
It’s at the point where I just want to watch the show, I don’t care who hosts. I liked Dr. Oz because it was easy to understand him, which is my main criteria. I liked Levar Burton’s enthusiasm, he was also easy to understand. I think I had a little trouble with Aaron Rogers, maybe he didn’t enunciate enough for me, but I remember thinking he did a good job. I also liked Faber, his smile just made me happy and he did a good job reading the clues. Buzzy Cohen was a breath of fresh air. It was nice to see women hosts for a change. Maybe they should not pick a host and just keep getting guest hosts to gig for a month.
I suspect this may be a stopgap measure while Sony really hopes her sitcom gets cancelled.
I agree I think though even if call me kat is canceled mayim may not take the full time job and not be able to pursue any other projects so I predict they’ll keep this arrangement going
At least we’re making some progress on this situation. Also, LeVar has said he no longer wants the job:
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/levar-burton-reveals-he-doesnt-want-to-be-the-new-jeopardy-full-time-host-052947610.html
Question please: I thought that the two losing contestants were going to be awarded more money starting this season.
The feeling when you put up an April Fools joke so convincing that people don’t realize it’s an April Fools joke.
😊 😊 😊
For Jeopardy’s sake—Ken is the best for the job. I liked Buzzy as well and Joe Buck was surprisingly good, although probably not in the running. I have to believe that for the sake of the show, his own sanity and the memory of Alex, LeVar Burton declined to want to host the show. I liked him, and thought he deserved another chance; he seems like a good guy.
Buzzy is a good host and refreshing.
I am a Buzzy fan. He’s a natural.
Big Ken fan but
Mayim will be great. Also, after watching the tournament of champions rerun, Buzzy Cohen is fantastic.