Ken Jennings Named The First Interim Host Of ‘Jeopardy!’

What is…Ken Jennings.

As speculation grows that Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings will replace the late Alex Trebek as host of the veteran game show, production company Sony Pictures Television has announced that he will be the first of a series of guest hosts effective in January 2021. Jennings holds the all-time record for the most consecutive games won at 74, and he won the Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time tournament opposite former champions James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter last January.

Production on Jeopardy! will resume on November 30, and the plan is to feature a rotation of guest hosts until the decision is made on a permanent replacement.

“We will honor Alex’s legacy by continuing to produce the game he loved with smart contestants and challenging clues. By bringing in familiar guest hosts for the foreseeable future, our goal is to create a sense of community and continuity for our viewers,” said Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards in a statement.

After being diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2019, Trebek passed away on November 8 at the age of 80. He had hosted Jeopardy! since 1984, when this revival version of the quiz show first debuted in first-run syndication.

No announcement has been made on what other guest hosts will be featured or how long Ken Jennings will be hosting initially.