57
Credit: ABCWhen longtime Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, 80, passed away after a long battle with cancer on November 8, 2020, fans of the game show were devastated. The biggest question for viewers and contestants, of course, was who would fill Trebek’s shoes as the new host.
Related: ‘Jeopardy’ Contestants Stumped By Popular Disney Parks Question
Following months of guest hosts including Reading Rainbow host Lavar Burton, Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik, and former champions like Ken Jennings and Buzzy Cohen, Bialik landed the job following controversy involving former Jeopardy! producer Mike Richardson.
Bialik has faced her own minor controversies, including fans’ frustration at her use of the term “Single Jeopardy” to describe the first round of the show — “Double Jeopardy” has long been the name of the second round — and requests from producers to “tone it down” when dealing with contestants.
Related: ‘Jeopardy’ Champion James Holzhauer Calls Out Fan’s “Horrifying” Tweet
Bialik’s tenure on the long-running game show has already given rise to some popular champions, including Amy Schneider, who won 40 games, and recent champion, Mattea Roach, who broke the win streak record for a Canadian contestant.
The current host’s future on Jeopardy is unknown at this time, however, as Ken Jennings’s recent exit from The Chase has many viewers convinced that he will be taking over full-time hosting duties next season.
Related: Pat Sajak Walks Off ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Set Mid-Air, Shocking Fans
And, now, amid all the other changes that are occurring on the Jeopardy stage — including a brand new tournament that “may have broken the “Jeopardy-Verse” — the long-running game show has made a notable change to the Final Jeopardy format. Since the show’s inception in 1984, the category of the Final Jeopardy question has been shown on a screen by the host’s podium [below] — this meant that fans who missed the category often had to rewind to see it once the camera panned away, which could become tiresome.
Related: Disney Blockbuster ‘Encanto’ Gets the ‘Jeopardy’ Treatment
Very recently, Jeopardy began showing the category above the Final Jeopardy question for the entire time the iconic theme music plays. This is a seemingly small — but extremely helpful — change that makes it easier for viewers to recall the category while they try to answer at home.
Related: Vanna White Breaks Down, Cries On Set of ‘Wheel Of Fortune’
Later this year, Jeopardy fans can look forward to the show’s first-ever spinoff series. Celebrity Jeopardy will join the ranks of shows like Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Celebrity Family Feud. The new game show, which will air independently of the normal program, was confirmed during the 2022 Upfronts in New York City.
An official Tweet reads:
It’s official: Celebrity Jeopardy! is coming to @ABC! Join us Sunday evenings this fall
It's official: Celebrity Jeopardy! is coming to @ABC! Join us Sunday evenings this fall 💫 https://t.co/KXIGIsh11A
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) May 17, 2022
What do you think about Jeopardy‘s notable change to the Final Jeopardy format?