Ken Jennings To Guest Host 'Jeopardy!' Following Alex Trebek's Death

Following the death of longtime host Alex Trebek, Sony Pictures Television revealed the first person who will take over the Jeopardy! hosting duties.

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The role will be filled by Ken Jennings, temporarily, with him being the first of multiple guest hosts. Jennings’ claim to fame comes from his run on the show, racking up a 74-game winning streak back in 2004. During that run, he won more than $2.5 million.

Of course, this news could be a big adjustment for long-time fans of the show, as Trebek remained the only host up until now, for 37 years. With that being said, the purpose of Jennings taking the temporary position is to keep things familiar for fans.

“Alex believed in the importance of Jeopardy! and always said that he wanted the show to go on after him,” the show’s executive producer, Mike Richards, said, according to Variety. “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.”

Production for the show is set to resume next Monday, November 30.

In honor of the iconic TV show host, Jeopardy! will air 10 of Alex’s best episodes during the week of 12/21 and 12/28 to commemorate his legacy. Trebek’s final episodes will air starting 1/4.

Following the news, so many fans flocked to the show’s comments on Instagram to give their condolences and share memories of the late game show host. One user even wrote, “When the news broke I cried really hard. I grew up watching Jeopardy with my family and I always felt like Alex was like an old friend. R.I.P. Alex Trebek. This fan will never forget you.”

Alex Trebek died on November 8 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was first diagnosed with the disease in March 2019 and served in his role as Jeopardy! host all the way up until his final days on October 29, 2020.

R.I.P to Alex Trebek and prayers to his entire family!