Ken Jennings told Rolling Stone about his first day on Jeopardy!, when he had to replace the late Alex Trebek in 2020. He recalled feeling concerned about the atmosphere as the crew and viewers were still mourning the loss of Alex, who died of pancreatic cancer.
The set was emotionally charged, and for someone who did not know Alex as much as everyone around him, Ken had a difficult time talking through it. Showrunner Michael Davies clarified that the initial plan was to have different hosts come on board after Alex’s passing; however, Ken stood out best and simply took over.
Ken Jennings’ first ‘Jeopardy!’ episode felt scary and he didn’t want to be there
Ken admitted that he was scared on day one, especially because the audience did not want him. Like them, Ken did not want to be on that stage either and was ready to give anything to be spared at that moment. Though he had to remain comported, Ken was also missing Alex, who hosted Jeopardy! for 37 seasons since 1984.
Davies recalled seeing the look on the contestant’s face whenever Ken approached the stage and his initial struggle with the material. Someone once gave a wrong response, saying, “Who is Gainsborough?” and Ken gave an awkward response while apologizing to the person.
Ken Jennings has settled in nicely as ‘Jeopardy!’s’ host
Mayim Bialik of Big Bang Theory joined Ken, and they were both named permanent hosts of Jeopardy! in 2021. The latter lasted only two years on the game show, as she got fired in December 2023.
Ken’s debut episode of 2020 was not his first time on Jeopardy!, as he was a star contestant about two decades before. He won more than $2.5 million dollars after winning 74 consecutive games during his time as a player. The 50-year-old reportedly earns up to $4 million per year as the program’s host.