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Credit: ABCMayim Bialik is not returning as a host to Jeopardy, and it seems that she is getting a bit weird now that she is not appearing on the beloved quiz show.
Jeopardy was hosted by legendary TV icon Alex Trebek for an astonishing 37 seasons until his sad passing due to pancreatic cancer in 2020. The question of who would succeed him as host was hotly debated by fans, particularly after Sony Pictures Television featured a series of guest hosts like Aaron Rodgers, LeVar Burton, and Katie Couric.
Related: New ‘Jeopardy’ Host Called Out by Former Champion, Feud Heats Up
The guest hosts were widely understood to essentially be auditioning for permanent hosting duties, so it especially shocked audiences when it was announced that Jeopardy producer Mike Richards would be taking on the job. The producer immediately came under fire from fans for his lack of experience and accusations of basically giving himself the position after teasing more well-known and beloved media figures.
Mike Richards left Jeopardy after a single day of recording episodes after allegations of workplace misconduct and offensive podcast statements, leaving the quiz show once again without a host.
Shortly after that, legendary Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings and actress/scientist Mayim Bialik were announced as the new co-hosts of the show. Bialik would host Celebrity Jeopardy, while Jennings would preside over the various specials and tournaments, and the two traded off hosting responsibilities of the regular edition of the show.
Both Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik have faced Jeopardy fan backlash for everything from flubbing questions to allegedly changing rules mid-game to weird Twitter jokes.
However, Bialik has faced far more ire from audiences than Jennings, often accused of being a terrible host and diminishing the dignity of the long-running quiz show.
Many of those angry fans were thrilled with Mayim Bialik announced that she was stepping away from her Jeopardy hosting responsibilities in solidarity with the still-ongoing Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strike. Although union rules typically allow non-scripted shows like Jeopardy to continue during strikes, Bialik took a principled stand and effectively quit the job.
Related: Mayim Bialik Attacked Over ‘Jeopardy’ Walkout, “Virtue Signaling”
Since then, Ken Jennings has taken over Celebrity Jeopardy and has been announced as the sole host of the upcoming season 40, de facto firing Mayim Bialik. While it has not been officially stated that she will not return as a host, it seems pretty definite that Jeopardy Entertainment is moving forward with Jennings as the new, sole face of the franchise.
In the meantime, Mayim Bialik has been going through a whole lot of things, including isolating herself from all human contact for weeks at a time. More recently, she posted a video of herself wildly dancing and twerking to Instagram.
It’s a bit of an odd post, even for the former Blossom actress, but at least it seems like she’s having a good time.
See for yourself here.
Will Mayim Bialik ever return to Jeopardy or Celebrity Jeopardy? Is the show making a mistake by promoting Ken Jennings? Let us know in the comments below!