Ken Jennings has officially been named the interim host of Jeopardy following the death of iconic TV host Alex Trebek. Jennings is a well-known staple on the show. He holds several all-time records on the game show. He’s totaled over $2.5 million in winnings. He also won the first-ever Greatest Of All Time tournament earlier this year.
Although Jennings is beloved by fans of the show as a contestant, he’ll be standing behind the podium this time around. However, his hosting duties aren’t permanent. He’s being billed as one of many guest hosts on the show.
Ken Jennings named as Alex Trebek’s interim ‘Jeopardy’ replacement
Jennings will be the first person to host Jeopardy since Trebek’s death from pancreatic cancer earlier this month. The show is scheduled to resume filming on November 30, which will mark the first shows since Trebek’s death.
“Alex believed in the importance of JEOPARDY! and always said that he wanted the show to go on after him. We will honor Alex’s legacy by continuing to produce the game he loved with smart contestants and challenging clues. By bringing in familiar guest hosts for the foreseeable future, our goal is to create a sense of community and continuity for our viewers,” Executive Producer Mike Richards said in a statement this week while announcing Jennings as the first host.
Trebek continued to film the series less than two weeks before his death. His last episode was supposed to air on Christmas Day. However, holiday programming has pushed the date of his final appearance to January 4.
As we remember and celebrate the life of Alex Trebek, we will air 10 of his best episodes the weeks of 12/21 and 12/28, and air his final week of episodes starting 1/4. https://t.co/HQaNewWa9U pic.twitter.com/aYPUOEuEwF
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 23, 2020
A permanent host has yet to be named
Jennings and the rest of the guest hosts will first be seen during the week of January 11. Before that, Jeopardy has decided to air a week featuring Trebek’s best episodes of his career. Those shows are set to air between December 21 and 28.
Since Trebek’s death, fans have been curious to know who may take over as his replacement. While it is impossible to replace the longtime host, a new chapter of the show will begin once a permanent host is named.
Viewers have been spouting out their best ideas for who they believe should take the reigns. Names such as former Reading Rainbow host, LeVar Burton, and ex-Dancing With the Stars host Tom Bergeron have been mentioned.
Currently, Jeopardy is airing Alex Trebek’s final episodes
Joshua Dale