‘Jeopardy!’ Returns With Big Changes Announced for Its Upcoming 37th Season
The new season of Jeopardy! is finally back. The classic answer-and-question show debuts its 37th season on Sept 14.
Returning with Alex Trebek at the helm, the program has got major changes planned for which fans will want to tune in.
Alex Trebek is glad to be back
The show’s longtime host, Alex Trebek, has been eager to get the show back on the air. The series, as practically all of entertainment during the ongoing pandemic, has been on hiatus since March 2020 until it was safe for contestants, crew, and the host to return to the set.
In July 2020, Sony Pictures Television announced that both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune would be returning to the studio to resume the taping of episodes for both shows’ new seasons.
Trebek, referring to the new season in a statement, via a Jeopardy! press release said, “I feel good, and I feel excited because once again Jeopardy! has demonstrated that it’s at the forefront of television programming.”
“I believe we are the first quiz show to come back on the air in the COVID-19 era. On a personal level, I’m excited because it gets me out of the house,” Trebek admitted. “It gives me something to do on a regular basis, and I was missing that.”
Ken Jennings is on the payroll now
Fans of the show were excited – and a little shocked – to learn that former contestant and Greatest Player of All Time, Ken Jennings, is officially on staff at Jeopardy! The 46-year-old has signed on to the program as a consulting producer.
According to the show press release, Jennings will present video
categories, develop projects, find new contestants, and “serve as a general ambassador for the show.”
Jennings’ contributions can be seen starting with the season’s second episode. As he stated, “Though I’ve played my last round of Jeopardy! as a contestant, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to remain involved with my favorite show.”
He concluded by joking that, “I’m still in on all the action, but I don’t have to worry about phrasing things in the form of a question anymore.”
What about Alex Trebek?
Alex Trebek’s tenure on the show has been questioned since his announcement in 2019 of his diagnosis with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. Trebek, 80, has continued working despite grueling chemotherapy treatments.
Jennings told Fox News in April 2020, “I just saw Alex pretty recently when we were promoting the recent Jeopardy! tournament. That’s a guy who loves his job and I think that’s what’s keeping him healthy and alive at this point. I hope he hosts Jeopardy! forever.”
It’s been a guessing game as to who will replace Trebek once his contract ends in 2022. For those concerned that the addition of Jennings to the show is ushering in the replacement of Alex Trebek, the host himself made sure to let fans know he’s not going anywhere.
Speaking in the promotional video for the show’s new season, Trebek assured fans, “Don’t worry, I’ll still be the host.”
