A look at Mayim Bialik’s ‘Jeopardy!’ exit — and what Ken Jennings had to say about it

After navigating a period of unprecedented turmoil following the death of its longtime host, Alex Trebek, “Jeopardy!” eventually regained its footing. Last year, following a series of guest hosts and an abrupt firing of former executive producer-turned-host Mike Richards, the beloved quiz show reached a solution: Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings would both serve as the new faces of “Jeopardy!”

“The fact is, we have so much ‘Jeopardy!’ to make, and so many plans for the future, that we always knew we would need multiple hosts for the franchise and we are just so grateful that Mayim and Ken stepped in and stepped up to put the show in a position to succeed,” “Jeopardy!” executive producer Michael Davies said in a statement at the time, per the Deseret News.

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Now, “Jeopardy!” is again changing course. Earlier this month, the show announced that Jennings will act as the sole host moving forward.

Here’s a look at what was reportedly behind the decision — and what Jennings has said about the change.

Mayim Bialik out as ‘Jeopardy!’ host

On Dec. 15, 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, confirming that the show made 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.

Why isn’t Mayim Bialik hosting ‘Jeopardy!’ anymore?

A day before the announcement, Bialik, who over the years has been open about her Jewish faith and Israel, appeared in a video that used a game show format to make statements about the Israel-Hamas war, per The Ringer. Sony told the outlet that the video did not play a part in its decision to drop Bialik.

In her report for The Ringer, Claire McNear outlined a number of other reasons that likely factored into the quiz show’s decision to drop Bialik — including the host’s lengthy absence from the show.

Back in May, the “Big Bang Theory” star stepped down from hosting during the last bit of filming for the show’s 39th season amid the writers strike, the Deseret News previously reported. Now, the show is a few months into its 40th season — the writers strike resolved in September while the actors strike reached a tentative agreement in November — and Bialik still hasn’t been seen.

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When she initially stepped down, Bialik said she comes from a “union family” and supports “pretty much all unions and what they fight for,” The Ringer reported. But the outlet noted that game shows like “Jeopardy!” operate under a set of union provisions called the Network Television Code — “Performers engaged to work under the Network Television Code should continue to honor their contracts,” reads a statement on sagaftrastrike.org.

“SAG-AFTRA — which began its own strike in July and of which Bialik and Jennings are both members — explicitly advises non-striking members to continue to work per the terms of their contracts; to do otherwise can weaken the union’s negotiating power because it indicates that members might not follow the letter of the contract,” McNear, who is the author of “A Definitive History and Insider’s Guide to ‘Jeopardy!’” wrote for The Ringer.

During Bialik’s extended absence, Jennings acted as the sole host — including for the “Celebrity Jeopardy!” edition that Bialik helmed the previous year. Ratings were reportedly on par with Bialik’s, and hinted that Sony didn’t necessarily need two hosts.

Sources close to “Jeopardy!” also told The Ringer that Jennings’ improvement as a host over time — plus his comfort around and familiarity with the game show — further led to the decision to cut Bialik.

Visit The Ringer for the full story.

What Ken Jennings said about Mayim Bialik’s ‘Jeopardy!’ exit

A new interview with The Hollywood Reporter indicates that Bialik’s exit from “Jeopardy!” came as a surprise to Jennings.

“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.”

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Jennings previously told the Deseret News he was “100% confident” he wouldn’t get the hosting gig.

“If I were hiring for that job, I would go with a sturdy broadcaster with decades of experience, not just somebody who happened to be good at the show many years ago,” he said. “But luckily they took a chance on me.”

For Jennings, who in his youth would rush home from school every day to watch the quiz show before becoming the the winningest contestant in “Jeopardy!” history, hosting is a role he takes “very seriously.”

“Now that I’m driving the truck, I really take that responsibility very seriously, like the way I saw Alex do it,” he told the Deseret News. “I’ve gradually gotten a little less terrified — just like playing the game, I guess.

“I do have my dream job, and I kind of have to pinch myself every day,” he continued. “I do not take it for granted.”