‘Jeopardy!’ wins the Emmy for best game show — but not best host

The team from “Jeopardy!” accepts the Emmy for outstanding game show during the second night of the Television Academy’s 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theater on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024 in Los Angeles.
The team from “Jeopardy!” accepts the Emmy for outstanding game show during the second night of the Television Academy’s 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theater on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024 in Los Angeles. | Phil McCarten, Invision via Associated Press
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Jeopardy!” has snagged the Emmy Award for best game show, bringing its grand total to 44 Emmys over the years — more than any other game show, according to its website.

And although it also had two Emmy nominations in the best host category — one for Ken Jennings and another for Mayim Bialik — the award for host went to a different game show.

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Who won the Emmy for best game show host?

This year, nominees for best game show included: Jennings, Bialik, Steve Harvey of “Family Feud,” Keke Palmer of “Password,” and longtime “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak, who is stepping down at the end of the season, the Deseret News previously reported.

It marked Jennings’ first Emmy nomination, though he isn’t entirely a stranger to awards shows. In 2021, he was up for a Grammy in the category for best spoken word album due to his help narrating the audiobook for Alex Trebek’s memoir “The Answer is ... Reflections on My Life,” which hit shelves in July 2020 — just a few months before Trebek’s death, per the Deseret News.

Bialik’s nomination marked her fifth. She was previously nominated four times for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for her role as Amy Farrah Fowler in “The Big Bang Theory,” People reported.

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But the Emmy went to Palmer, who began hosting the game show “Password” in 2022. The win makes her the first woman in 15 years to win best host — the last was “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” host Meredith Vieira in 2009, according to Deadline.

Palmer was also the first Black woman to be nominated and win in the category, per NBC.com. It marks the second Emmy win in her career, and the first time in 50 years that a “Password” host has been nominated or won, Deadline reported.

Bialik gave a shout-out to “Jeopardy!” and Palmer in a post following the ceremony.

“I’m so proud to have been a part of the 2022 season of Jeopardy! that won the primetime Emmy last night for best game show!” she wrote on X. “And hearty congratulations to Keke Palmer for being the first woman in 15 years to win best host — you’re an inspiration to women everywhere and I salute you.”

Mayim Bialik is no longer hosting ‘Jeopardy!’

Bialik’s shout-out comes a few weeks after she announced her exit from “Jeopardy!”

Last month, Bialik told fans that Sony, which produces “Jeopardy!” informed her she would no longer be a host for the syndicated version of the show.

“I am incredibly honored to have been nominated for a primetime Emmy for hosting this year and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the ‘Jeopardy!’ family,” she shared in a post on X. “For all of you who have supported me through this incredible journey and to the fans, contestants, writers, staff and crew of America’s Favorite Quiz Show, thank you.”

Shortly after Bialik’s post, “Jeopardy!” released its own statement and confirmed the decision to move forward with one host in order “to maintain continuity for our viewers.” But “Jeopardy!” also appeared to leave room for Bialik to potentially stay on with the “Jeopardy!” brand in another capacity.

“We are truly grateful for all of Mayim’s contributions to ‘Jeopardy!’ and we hope to continue to work with her on primetime specials,” the show added.

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In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jennings said Bialik’s exit from “Jeopardy!” came as a surprise.

“It took me off guard, because I loved working with ... Mayim and I’m going to miss her,” the 74-game “Jeopardy!” champ said. “I can’t speak to her decision-making process or her opinions about it. But on my end, I’m just a fan of ‘Jeopardy!’ and I’m always delighted to host when they call upon me. I just feel extremely lucky to have even been considered for this job, as a non-broadcaster.”