‘Jeopardy!’: Katie Couric Wrapping Up Her First Week As Guest Host While Fans Continue to Lobby for Ken Jennings

As Katie Couric wraps up the first half of her two-week stint as 'Jeopardy!' guest host, fans have weighed in with requests for game show GOAT Ken Jennings to return.

by Melissa Mitas

Published on March 12, 2021

2 min read

‘Jeopardy!’ fans are vocal about Ken Jennings

Reviews for Couric at the helm remain mixed, yet many are still rallying for Jennings to come back to the podium after his six-week guest hosting run.

“Please bring Ken back!! He was such a natural,” one wrote on Instagram on March 10. “Ken please!!!” another commented. “Bring back Ken!” a fan posted.

Some were more direct in their pleas for the Jeopardy! GOAT to man the quiz board.

“Now let’s get Ken Jennings back on instead of Katie,” a Jeopardy! follower remarked on March 11. “Katie is doing a pretty good job. Bring back Ken Jennings, though. He’s the one!” another posted.

“Bring back Ken – stop with the celebrities. That’s not what the show is about,” one fan commented. “Please please bring back Ken Jennings. The show is so boring without him,” another posted.

Katie Couric still getting mixed reviews after week 1

Couric rose to fame as a journalist during her 15 years on the Today Show and first female anchor of the CBS Evening News. Yet some Jeopardy! fans still aren’t warming to the news person as the game show host.

“How much longer do we have to suffer through Katie Couric?” one person commented. “Won’t be watching Couric. She’s pitifully bad,” another wrote.

Several viewers praised Couric for her performance in the guest hosting role, making the Jeopardy! audience a bit divided in their opinions.

“@katiecouric is doing a great job. I’m really enjoying her interactions with the contestants,” a Jeopardy! fan posted. “Katie is great!” one follower commented. “Katie is doing well!” another remarked.

How long will Katie Couric host ‘Jeopardy!’?

With several guest hosts lined up following the death of game show legend Alex Trebek in November 2020, Couric wanted to go prep as much as possible for her time at the lectern. To give herself some tips, Couric became a student of Jeopardy! and its iconic host.

“I watch the show a lot,” Couric revealed in an interview aired by the show. “I watch it regularly… I started watching it religiously. I spent a lot of time watching Alex – how he moved from category to category, how he phrased his clues, how he solicited responses, how he interacted with contestants. I learned a lot just through observation.”

The former Today Show star shared her gratitude for getting to be a part of such a beloved show and Trebek’s legacy.

“I love the show, I loved Alex Trebek,” Couric said. “I was so inspired by him, especially by his courage toward the end of his life. It’s just such an American institution and the opportunity to play a small part in the continuation of this show was just something i didn’t want to pass up.”