Mayim Bialik Won’t Return as ‘Jeopardy!’ Host

Mayim Bialik has faced her final “Jeopardy!” Two years after stepping in as a permanent host for the beloved game show following the death of its long-running emcee Alex Trebek, Bialik is exiting her regular role on the series. In a statement posted to Instagram on Friday afternoon, Bialik shared that producer Sony Pictures Television had informed her that she will no longer have hosting duties on the series beginning in 2024.

“As the holiday break begins in Hollywood, I have some ‘Jeopardy!’ news. Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of ‘Jeopardy!'” Bialik wrote in the post. “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 pat of the ‘Jeopardy!’ family.”

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“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,” Bialik’s statement concludes.

A spokesperson for the series at Sony released the following statement to Variety later in the afternoon: “Mayim Bialik has announced she will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of ‘Jeopardy!’. We made the decision to have one host for the syndicated show next season to maintain continuity for our viewers, and Ken Jennings will be the sole host for syndicated ‘Jeopardy!’. We are truly grateful for all of Mayim’s contributions to ‘Jeopardy!’, and we hope to continue to work with her on primetime specials.”

Following Trebek’s death in November 2020, Bialik was one of several rotating celebrity guest hosts to join the series in the following year. After standing executive producer Mike Richards had negotiated a contract to take over as permanent host of “Jeopardy!,” a subsequent unraveling of scandals quickly led to his ousting from the program. Bialik took over as a guest host during the turbulent period, soon after becoming a permanent host, alternating duties with Ken Jennings, who first showed his “Jeopardy!” mastery as a contestant in 2003 and has become the highest-earning American game show contestant in history through his return trips to the series.

Only Jennings has been hosting as of this fall’s Season 40. In August, Variety reported that Bialik had declined to host the second season of “Celebrity Jeopardy!” in observance of the then-ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Both Bialik and Jennings earned Emmy Award nominations for outstanding host of a game show in this year’s inaugural edition of the category. Steve Harvey, Pat Sajak and Keke Palmer also received nods. A winner will be announced at the strike-delayed Emmy Awards in January.

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