Ken Jennings will be returning to host Jeopardy! sooner than originally planned, as fellow presenter Mayim Bialik faces continued criticism from a faction of fans.
Jennings' most-recent block of pre-recorded shows came to an end in April. Bialik stepped up to the lectern from May onward, with the expected plan to continue hosting the hit syndicated quiz show for the remainder of season 39. Jennings had hosted the special Jeopardy! Masters tournament, which aired in May.
However, it was widely reported that Bialik walked off the Los Angeles set of the show in May. It was a gesture of solidarity with striking writers, who are protesting contracts and pay structures.
As a result of the strike, TV shows that rely on writers to create content on the day of airing, such as late-night talk shows, were forced off the air. Prerecorded and scripted shows shot before the strike have continued as normal.
It was previously reported that Jennings had planned to return to Jeopardy! earlier than planned to fill in for Bialik. A Jeopardy! fan account on Twitter that tracks when Jennings is hosting has now revealed that his new episodes will start airing in a matter of days.
"Ken Jennings will return to host brand new syndicated episodes of Jeopardy! starting Monday, July 3," read a recent tweet from the account @IsKenHosting. "He will continue hosting the daily episodes through the Season 39 finale on July 28."
The post was met with elation from a number of fans, who said that they prefer to watch the show while Jennings is hosting.
Since her return to the show, Bialik has faced criticism from fans. They have taken issue with everything from her presenting style to controversial decisions on contestants' responses to clues.
Jennings has hosted the hugely popular quiz show since its 38th season, while Bialik has presented its tournaments. The pair have, on occasion, switched places on the main show and specials.
They were officially announced as the show's permanent hosts before the start of the current season 39 last year, following the death of popular longtime presenter Alex Trebek in November 2020.
During an appearance on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast in August, Bialik and Jennings spoke with host Sarah Whitcomb Foss about how they deal with online backlash from fans of the show.
"We're still people, so I can't say that when you hear things that are constructive criticism that you don't start thinking a little bit too much about it," Bialik said. "But, I don't know, I kind of take everybody's opinion both with a grain of salt and also believe everybody has a right to their opinion."
For Jennings, the negative reaction came early, when he saw some people were "sick of him" in the earlier stages of his run as a Jeopardy! contestant in 2004. Jennings holds the record of the show's longest winning streak at 74.
"It was the early days of the internet, but people were still very much like, 'Oh, I'm sick of this guy already,'" Jennings said. "And I'm like, 'Oh, there's like three more months [of me]... This guy's gonna have a bad summer!' I just kind of had to dissociate.
"You know what? Jeopardy! has got such a big, diverse audience. You're not going to be able to please everybody every night. But I think that's the virtue of having a couple of hosts," Jennings added. "You know, it's a big, diverse audience, and maybe that helps broaden the tent. It's a matter of taste hosting style."
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