‘Jeopardy’ Fans Urge Ken Jennings to Step Away From Hosting New Episodes Amid Ongoing Writers Strike: “Don’t Cross the Picket Line”

Jeopardy fans are taking a stance on the writers strike.

After a Jeopardy spokesperson recently confirmed the new season will proceed using recycled material, many fans of the show expressed that they hope host Ken Jennings will step away from filming in solidarity with the writers strike.

Jennings initially filled in for his co-host Mayim Bialik during the last week of tapings in May after she stepped down in support of the WGA strike. Bialik’s return for Season 40 has not been announced yet, leaving fans to wonder if Jennings will continue filling in for her when the new season starts.

“I applauded Mayim for stepping away in solidarity, but had no problem with Ken filling in for the last few weeks’ worth of shows,” one fan wrote on the show’s popular Reddit forum. “But I admit I’ll be disappointed if he comes back for the new season with clue recycling.”

If Jennings stepped away, it could bring the game show to a full halt.

Jennings received considerable backlash after it was announced in May that he would be stepping in for Bialik.

“The fact that Jeopardy is still going on is actually ridiculous. Ken Jennings needs to step up. Mayim Bialik already stopped her hosting, and the fact that Ken hasn’t feels telling to his actual character,” a fan tweeted.

Jeopardy! is a WGA show and one of its writers, Michele Loud, correctly told Variety “There is no “Jeopardy!” without writers. Without us it’s just an empty blue screen.”

The final week of clues was written beforehand but to see Ken Jennings scab? What is a disappointment? https://t.co/jv4pjyesmj

— Ryan W. Mead (@rwmead) May 12, 2023

Another fan noted, “Good for [Mayim].  She did the right thing.  She worked on sitcoms; she knows the value of a good writer.  Ken Jennings was a contestant who got lucky.  Writers mean nothing to him.”

Meanwhile, others felt that the criticism Jennings received was “unwarranted” because the clues for those final episodes of Season 39 had already been written before the WGA strike began.

“I was fine with him picking up the final four weeks of the season and thought the attacks on him were unwarranted. But I do hope he holds on this,” one fan commented on Reddit.

In the statement released earlier this week, a spokesperson for the show maintained that they would “never air game material not created by WGA writers.” But, they do plan on continuing to film as the show is allowed to under the SAG-AFTRA Network Code.

“However, just as we did, led by Alex Trebek, during the 2007-2008 strike, we will deliver first-run episodes again this fall to more than 200 affiliate stations nationwide,” the statement said. “Our current plan is to go into a holding pattern of sorts, pushing back the S39 postseason to first produce original episodes featuring the best of our WGA written material.”

The statement was released after multiple Jeopardy contestants stated they would not “cross the picket line” to compete in the annual Tournament of Champions.

Contestant Ray LaLonde, who won 13 games this season, vowed he would not compete in the ToC if “the strike remains unresolved.” He also urged others to speak out “to perhaps influence some future decision to proceed without the writers” by using “old and/or recycled material” for the new season.

The statement made no mention of which host will star in the new season. It looks like the ball is in Jennings’ court.

Jeopardy! airs weeknights at 7/6c. Check the website for local listings.