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Credit: ABCThe Jeopardy! franchise has gotten a last-minute change that fans of the classic American game show should be aware of.
Jeopardy! has been entertaining viewers since the 60s. Created by Merv Griffin, the version that many know and love today began in 1984, with the late Alex Trebek hosting proceedings. Inspired by his wife, Griffin’s TV show follows an almost reverse quiz format, where contestants have to provide questions as answers.
The Jeopardy! franchise faced a huge loss in 2020 when Alex Trebek, the long-standing host of Jeopardy!, sadly passed away after a 20-month-long battle with stage IV pancreatic cancer.
The unfortunate passing of Trebek saw Jeopardy! Productions searching for a new host. Throughout the beginning of 2021, the TV show tapped various personalities to guest host the game show, including Katie Couric, Anderson Cooper, Aaron Rodgers, George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, LeVar Burton, Ken Jennings, and Mayim Bialik.
After Mike Richards was appointed the new full-time host and was swiftly removed after controversial behavior details resurfaced, former Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings and The Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik co-hosted the end of Season 38. Bialik also hosted Jeopardy! National College Championship and Celebrity Jeopardy! in 2022, alongside her shared duties with Jennings on the main show.
The pair returned for Season 39, but things would derail when the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strikes commenced, and further went awry when the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) also went on strike. Bialik, in solidarity with WGA, stepped down from her role as host of Jeopardy!, leaving Jennings to fill in for her on yet untaped episodes. For this, Jennings was branded a “scab” — something he refuted… with evidence.
With the turmoil of the strikes, Michael Davies, a Jeopardy! executive, revealed the plans for the Season 39 post-season and the subsequent Season 40. It was not received well. It was shared that due to the WGA strikes, the Tournament of Champions would utilize clues written before the strike began and also recycled clues. The news prompted a backlash that led producers to postpone the Tournament of Champions.
Related: ‘Jeopardy!’ Officials Speak out on “Painful” Episode, Fans Say It’s “One of the Worst Ever”
The developments resulted in a Second Chance Tournament with contestants from Season 37 being held, subsequently followed by a Champions Wild Card tournament featuring the winners from the Second Chance game with the addition of Season 38 winners.
The addition of primetime specials has only seen the Jeopardy! franchise continue to grow. In addition to Bialik’s two specials, Jennings, this year, hosted the first Jeopardy! Masters competition, where James Holzhauer soared to victory over other familiar faces, including Matt Amodio, Mattea Roach, and Amy Schneider.
After Celebrity Jeopardy! Season 1 saw Ike Barinholtz win $72,001 for his chosen charity, Season 2 began in late September 2023 with a host of new celebrity faces, including Schitt’s Creek‘s Emily Hampshire, Abbott Elementary‘s Lisa Ann Walter, award-winning actress Mira Sorvino, Home Alone icon Macaulay Culkin, and Sex and the City star, Cynthia Nixon. Ken Jennings replaced Mayim Bialik as full-time host as the actress and presenter’s temporary leave continues.
In a recent news announcement, a last-minute change has forced Celebrity Jeopardy! to air the second half of its sophomore season on Tuesday nights instead of the usual Wednesday slot.
Related: ‘Jeopardy!’ Host Was Replaced by Artificial Intelligence
This comes as the ABC network made some changes to its midseason schedule, which also includes airing the Hulu smash comedy Only Murders in the Building — its broadcast debut. Only Murders in the Building will commence at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, following Celebrity Jeopardy! at 8 p.m., per Deadline.
Celebrity Jeopardy! follows a similar format to the classic syndicated Jeopardy! game show, with Jeopardy!, Double Jeopardy!, and Final Jeopardy! rounds. A third round, Triple Jeopardy!, follows the second round and precedes the final one.
As for other Jeopardy! news, the United Kingdom’s reboot will commence in 2024, with long-time Jeopardy! fan and beloved actor/presenter, Stephen Fry, taking on the coveted game show hosting role.
Were you aware of this change to the Jeopardy! franchise? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!