Yahoo News Here's when Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik will be back hosting Jeopardy
It's official: Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik have both signed deals to continue as the permanent hosts of Jeopardy, following in the footsteps of the late, great Alex Trebek.
The beloved answer-and-question show announced the news Wednesday, two days after reports emerged that Jennings and Bialik would be in it for the long haul.
"The fact is, we have so much Jeopardy! to make, and so many plans for the future, that we always knew we would need multiple hosts for the franchise and we are just so grateful that Mayim and Ken stepped in and stepped up to put the show in a position to succeed," executive producer Michael Davies said in a statement. "In Mayim and Ken, we have two outstanding hosts at the beginning of their Jeopardy! hosting careers who connect with their own unique fanbases, new fans, and the traditional Jeopardy! viewer."
Casey Durkin/ABC/Getty; Eric McCandless/Getty Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings
Jennings will kick off season 39 in the fall, hosting new episodes of Jeopardy from September through December — including the first-ever Second Chance competition and the Tournament of Champions. The latter will feature Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio, Mattea Roach, Ryan Long, and more.
Meanwhile, Bialik will host the new series Celebrity Jeopardy in prime time before taking over from Jennings on the flagship show in January. She will host new tournaments as well as the National College Championships, while also balancing her schedule shooting the Fox sitcom Call Me Kat.
"We know you value consistency, so we will not flip flop the hosts constantly and will keep you informed about the hosting schedule," Davies said.
That pledge of consistency comes after a protracted search to find Trebek's successor (or successors, it turns out). After a rotating series of guest hosts, Jeopardy first announced plans for executive producer Mike Richard to take over as permanent host, but then backtracked after offensive remarks previously made by him on a podcast resurfaced, igniting a public outcry.
Bialik and Jennings have been sharing hosting duties over the 2021-2022 season. Repeat episodes begin Monday and will continue until the new season kicks off. Future plans for Jeopardy also include a weekly podcast with the producers of the show that will offer analysis, behind-the-scenes stories, and discussion of new developments.
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