Jeopardy! Champ Ken Jennings To Guest Host After Alex Trebek’s Passing

The producers of Jeopardy! have named the first of several “guest hosts” who will succeed Alex Trebek, the series late, and much beloved, quizmaster and he’s certainly a familiar face.

Ken Jennings To Guest Host Jeopardy!

Ken Jennings, a former Jeopardy! contestant, who currently holds the record for the longest winning streak on the popular game show, will serve as its first interim host beginning Monday, January 11, 2021.

The announcement was made Monday evening via the program’s official Twitter account, which was accompanied by a statement released by Mike Richards, Jeopardy!’s Executive Producer: “Alex believed in the importance of Jeopardy! and always said that he wanted the show to go on after him.

“We will honor Alex’s legacy by continuing to produce the game he loved, with smart contestants and challenging clues. By bringing in familiar guest hosts for the foreseeable future, our goal is to create a sense of community and continuity for our viewers.”

In response to the news, Jennings took to his own Twitter account and stated, “There will only ever be one Alex Trebek, but I’m honored to be helping Jeopardy! out with this in January.”

Though there has been no subsequent word on the matter, it is understood that the identity of additional guest hosts will be revealed in the days and weeks ahead.

Jennings returned to the Jeopardy! fold earlier this year when he competed in, and won, the show’s “Greatest of All Time” tournament. Subsequently, he joined the production team as a “consulting producer.”

In this new capacity, Jennings presented his own special video categories, developed projects, assisted with contestant outreach, and served as a general ambassador for the show.

A remaining batch of 35 Jeopardy! episodes featuring Trebek as the host will continue to air as they were originally shot. His final episode will be seen on Friday, January 8, 2021.

During the weeks of December 21 and December 28, a selection of 10 previously shown episodes will air in tribute to Trebek.