The search is over… for now.
Sony Pictures Entertainment has closed deals with both Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik to split the hosting duties of syndicated game show Jeopardy, according to TV Line.
Bialik, meanwhile, will host the primetime editions of the show that air on ABC, with Celebrity Jeopardy! on tap for later this year.
The announcement comes after a search that kicked off when longtime host Alex Trebek died in 2020.
If anything, the franchise has been expanding, bringing more editions to the masses than before, creating the need for multiple hosts.
Bialik will also continue as a series regular on the Fox comedy, Call Me Kat, which will return later this year for its biggest season to date.
The search for a permanent solution has been long and filled with hurdles.
Executive producer Mike Richards was announced as the sole host of the daytime edition last summer, but he stepped down just days later after past comments on a podcast came to light.
“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,” Richards wrote in a memo to staff in August.
“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.”
Jennings is one of Jeopardy’s most popular players, winning the G.O.A.T. Tournament in 2020.
He was a natural fit for the show, given his history with it, but there have always been bigger questions about what the production company behind the series wanted to do.
Bialik started her Jeopardy journey as a guest host. and has resonated with the fans in a big way.
Having two hosts is probably the best of both worlds because it will allow the series to switch things up here and there.
Fans took to social media to air their thoughts on the plan to move forward with two hosts.
“The two current @Jeopardy hosts are very fun, we enjoy them. They’re both great! So why not keep them! Ken Jennings is super laid-back and kind of born for the job, but Mayim is super charming, quriky-smart, and stylish,” said one fan.
“Just give us what we want: Ken Jennings permanently,” another added.
“Mayim is a better Jeopardy host than Ken Jennings and I won’t hear otherwise.”
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
