Ken Jennings shares his feelings of grief and uncertainty during his first episode of ‘Jeopardy!’ after Alex Trebek’s passing
Los Angeles: Ken Jennings had a tough moment while hosting “Jeopardy!” He admitted there was a time he didn’t want to be there at all.
In a chat with Rolling Stone, Jennings opened up about stepping in for Alex Trebek after his death in 2020. He wasn’t nervous about the show itself but felt the weight of the grief surrounding him.
Everyone on set was emotional, and Jennings had to be the one to keep things moving. He felt like he was the least connected to Trebek, yet he was the one talking through the sadness. It was a scary moment for him.
He recalled thinking, “I don’t want to be here. I would give anything to not be here right now.” It was clear that the audience was also mourning Trebek, and Jennings felt that pressure.
Michael Davies, the showrunner, mentioned that they initially planned to have several hosts after Trebek’s passing. But Jennings really stood out among the candidates.
Davies noticed how contestants lit up when Jennings walked on stage. He even recalled a moment when Jennings effortlessly corrected a contestant’s wrong answer, showcasing his deep knowledge of the material.
Jennings reflected on how he understood the audience’s grief and shared that he didn’t want to be there during the taping. In 2021, he and Mayim Bialik were named the new permanent hosts, but Bialik was let go in December 2023.
He also revealed that he had talked about taking over the show with Trebek, starting during a conversation about recording Trebek’s audiobook.
Jennings described that moment as a kind of unspoken torch-passing. He first became a co-host in 2021 and was named the sole host in December 2023.
His journey with “Jeopardy!” began 20 years ago as a contestant, where he won over $2.5 million across 74 games. In his interview, he also discussed the future of the show and its unique ability to bring people together.
“Jeopardy!” is a unifying force, he said, appealing to people of all ages and backgrounds. He believes it stands apart from the divisive issues in society today.
Jennings concluded that “Jeopardy!” remains a space where people can engage with knowledge without the noise of skepticism that often surrounds other topics.
