Posted in: ABC, Preview, TV | Tagged: jeopardy, Ken Jennings, Mayim Bialik, sony

Jeopardy! Host Jennings: Mayim Bialik Departure "Took Me Off Guard"

Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings shares that he was caught "off guard" by the news that Sony and co-host Mayim Bialik had parted ways.

It seemed like an inevitability, but the heat was eventually going to come to the now-solo host of Jeopardy! Ken Jennings upon the announcements of Sony and co-host Mayim Bialik of her departure on December 15th. While there's speculation on whether this has anything to do with Bialik's temporary leave of the show in support of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes earlier this year is up in the air, but the decision now makes Jennings the permanent host of the syndicated game show with Sony leaving the door open for Bialik to host specials. With the show returning on January 2nd for its Celebrity Jeopardy! semifinals and finals, the former grand champion commented on the news and his working relationship with the Call Me Kat star.

"It took me off guard because I loved working with my Mayim, and I'm gonna miss her. I can't speak to her decision-making process or her opinions about it," Jennings told The Hollywood Reporter. "But on my end, I'm just a fan of Jeopardy! and I'm always delighted to host when they call upon me. I just feel extremely lucky to have even been considered for this job as a non-broadcaster. It's kind of a weird thing to try to bring back an ex-contestant to host, and I've obviously been learning as I go. But I loved growing up with Jeopardy! where Alex was the host of that show for almost 38 years, and people just kind of felt like he was part of their family, and it's impossible to fill those shoes. But it's such an honor, and hopefully, I look forward to 37 more years of doing it when I'll be a very, very old man."

"As the holiday break begins in Hollywood, I have some Jeopardy! News. Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!" Bialik wrote on social media. "I am incredibly honored to have been nominated for a primetime Emmy for hosting this year, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Jeopardy! Family. For all of you who have supported me through this incredible journey and to the fans, contestants, writers, staff, and crew of America's Favorite Quiz Show, thank you." "Mayim Bialik has announced she will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!" Sony wrote in a statement to THR. "We made the decision to have one host for the syndicated show next season to maintain continuity for our viewers, and Ken Jennings will be the sole host for syndicated Jeopardy!. We are truly grateful for all of Mayim's contributions to Jeopardy!, and we hope to continue to work with her on primetime specials."

Jennings and Bialik shared hosting duties after Sony's original choice to succeed the late Alex Trebek fizzled with former showrunner Mike Edwards. For more, including Jennings' learning process and differences between the original game and the celebrity editions of Jeopardy!, you can check out the interview here.

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