JEOPARDY! Announces Mayim Bialik And Ken Jennings As Permanent Co-Hosts
By Movieguide® Contributor
JEOPARDY! made a very exciting announcement about the permanent host of the game show. Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings will be returning to the show as permanent co-hosts.
“Please join us in welcoming the official co-hosts of Jeopardy!, @kenjennings and @missmayim! We couldn’t be more thrilled,” the JEOPARDY! Twitter account posted.
Bialik and Jennings have been co-hosting the game show since October.
“Mayim and Ken are both extraordinarily talented and simply lovely humans,” executive producer Michael Davies shared. “They support the staff and each other. They love and respect this institution of a television program. In return, the staff and I are honored to work alongside them.”
JEOPARDY! is also launching a few new exciting projects, including a weekly podcast hosted by the show’s producers.
“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,” Davies explained. “And succeed it has.”
Movieguide® previously reported on the decision to have co-hosts to replace the late Alex Trebek:
After speculation about who would take up the mantle of host on JEOPARDY!, the executive producer of the show Mike Richards and actor Mayim Bialik are now confirmed as permanent co-hosts for the upcoming episodes.
It is the first time in the entire history of the beloved game show that two people will host alongside each other. Richards is set to host the daily syndicated program, with Bialik hosting the primetime series and new spinoffs.
Daily Beast reported:
The current version of the show, which was hosted by the late Alex Trebek for 36 years, has featured a series of guest-hosts following Trebek’s death last year as executives grappled with who was best to fill the iconic role.
Richards, who had been the frontrunner for a hosting gig, will start Season 38 as host of the daily syndication while Bialik, best known for her starring role in CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, will host new spin-off series—the first of which will be the Jeopardy! National College Championship on ABC.
While many fans were rooting for Richards to earn the position, many expressed their other top picks and criticized the possible choice.
Richards stepped down as co-host after derogatory comments he made in 2013 and 2014 on his podcast came to light.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Mike Richards’ time as the new permanent host of JEOPARDY! became short-lived after the executive producer announced his resignation due to past comments.
“Dear Team – It pains me that these past incidents and comments have cast such a shadow on Jeopardy! as we look to start a new chapter,” Sony quoted Richards as saying in a statement. “As I mentioned last week, I was deeply honored to be asked to host the syndicated show and was thrilled by the opportunity to expand my role.”
“However, over the last several days it has become clear that moving forward as host would be too much of a distraction for our fans and not the right move for the show. As such, I will be stepping down as host effective immediately. As a result, we will be canceling production today,” he continued. “SPT will now resume the search for a permanent syndicated host.”
Richards told Fox News that the podcast was intended to be “irreverent” and provocative.
“It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago,” Richards told Fox News. “Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast and I am deeply sorry.”
“The podcast was intended to be a series of irreverent conversations between longtime friends who had a history of joking around. Even with the passage of time, it’s more than clear that my attempts to be funny and provocative were not acceptable, and I have removed the episodes,” the statement continued. “My responsibilities today as a father, husband, and a public personality who speaks to many people through my role on television means I have substantial and serious obligations as a role model, and I intend to live up to them.”
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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