‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Fuming Over Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings’ Hosting Schedules: “I Want Ken Full-Time”

By Samantha Nungesser @samjnungesser
Published Feb. 28, 2023, 2:13 p.m. ET

Where to Stream:

Jeopardy

Powered by Reelgood

More On:

ken jennings

While Jeopardy! fans have known since last summer that Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik would be hosting the hit quiz show on alternating schedules, they were still left fuming over the recently announced lineup.

During Monday’s (Feb. 27) episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, producer Sarah Foss revealed that Jennings would resume his hosting duties for a brief stint following the Teen Tournament Reunion, which Bialik is currently hosting.

“We reminded folks that Ken Jennings will be back on March 10. And then he’s going to continue the rest of his syndicated run, which will take us through April 28,” Foss said. “Then Mayim will take over on May 1 and she’ll take us all the way through the summer.”

Jennings — who has been hosting since the start of Season 39 — will return for a mere month-and-a-half before exiting the game show until September 2023, upsetting fans. They couldn’t hold back their frustration over Bialik’s lengthy upcoming run.

“Nobody has as much contempt for their fanbase as the people who own Jeopardy,” one wrote.

Another added, “Then I’ll be in for a month and then promptly out. The Jeopardy audience does not consist of masochists who want to be force-fed with a subpar product.”

“Jeopardy, stop trying to make Mayim happen. It’s not going to happen,” a third person said, referencing Mean Girls. 

Someone else asked, “Why are they so hellbent on keeping Mayim on the regular syndicated show?? She has absolutely no chemistry whatsoever with regular contestants.”

“Keep Ken! For crying out loud he is a natural host. Mayim play acts host and it is annoying. Let her host celebrity shows,” another suggested, while someone fumed, “NEVER watch when Ken is gone-Mayim is nothing but annoying and unwatchable-big mistake Jeopardy.”

Bialik, who hosts primetime and spinoff specials such as Celebrity Jeopardy!, is well aware of the backlash she’s received over the years. When she was first announced as a guest host in 2021, she told her Instagram followers, “If you don’t like me as the new host of Jeopardy!, I’m sorry.”

The Call Me Kat actress added, “I really have great respect for everybody who guest hosted. And I really think it’s amazing that it’s a woman hosting Jeopardy! for the first time. It’s really exciting. It’s a very big deal.”

Jeopardy! airs on weeknights at 7/6c on ABC.