A former “Jeopardy!” champion is weighing in on Mayim Bialik and her sudden decision to leave the “Jeopardy!” stage.
After hosting for two years, the “Blossom” child star decided to step away from hosting due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. However, now that the strikes are over, she has decided to step away from hosting completely and leave trivia guru Ken Jennings as the sole host.
Former ‘Jeopardy!’ Champion Supports Ken Jennings As Sole Host
Many “Jeopardy!” fans will probably recognize Austin Rogers from his 2017 hot streak. He used some of his winnings to buy a bar in New York City called Gaf East. In a video obtained by TMZ, a photog asked Austin how he felt about Mayim’s exit.
When asked if her decision to step away due to the strike impacted her employment, Austin replied, “I think it was a good time to decline [to host] during that time. We don’t want to cross picket lines. […] But at the same time, I don’t think that was a factor in her exit.”
Austin also felt that she hadn’t left the show completely and feels that she will make a return to host primetime special events. Austin feels that the continuity of having one host – Ken Jennings – will appeal to more fans, while he feels that Mayim Bialik’s fanbase will support her for primetime and spin-off shows, like “Celebrity Jeopardy!”
When asked if Ken should be the permanent host, he replied, “Ken has earned the job. He is a great human being. He’s incredibly funny and he’s so warm and kind.”
“Ken Jennings has been synonymous with the word ‘Jeopardy!’ for well over 17 decades because he is an ageless vampire who shall live forever,” he joked, adding that Ken has “earned” the “day-in-day-out” job.
Mayim Bialik Steps Away From ‘Jeopardy!’ Before Holiday Break Begins
On Friday, December 15, “The Big Bang Theory” actress took to Instagram to reveal that she was stepping away from her role as “Jeopardy!” host.
“As the holiday break begins in Hollywood, I have some Jeopardy! news, she wrote in the caption of a brief Instagram post. “Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!”
“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,” she continued. “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.”
‘Jeopardy!’ Is ‘Grateful’ For Mayim’s Contributions To The Game Show
About an hour later, the “Jeopardy!” Instagram account posted its own statement on social media. The message indicated that they were still interested in working with the actress for primetime specials.
“Mayim Bialik has announced she will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!” they wrote in a brief Instagram statement. “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.”
Ken Jennings Says He Was Caught ‘Off Guard’ By Her Exit
During a December 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ken Jennings revealed that he was caught “off guard” by her decision but admitted that he felt “extremely lucky” to be selected as the next sole host of the show following the passing of late host Alex Trebek due to pancreatic cancer in November 2020.
“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,” he explained. “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,” he continued. “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.”