Mayim Bialik, who has been co-hosting “Jeopardy!” alongside Ken Jennings for more than a year, said Friday she will no longer host the syndicated version of the show.
“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 a statement shared on social media.
She said she was “honored” to have been nominated for an Emmy for hosting the show and “deeply grateful” to have been a part of the “Jeopardy!” team.
“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 concluded.
“Jeopardy!” said it would be going with one host of the show for continuity. “Ken Jennings will be the sole host for syndicated Jeopardy!” the show said in a statement Friday night. “We are truly grateful for all of Mayim’s contributions to Jeopardy!, and we hope to continue to work with her on primetime specials.”
It was a long and winding road that got Bialik to the hosting role.
After longtime host Alex Trebek’s death in November 2020, Mike Richards, the then-executive producer of “Jeopardy!” was tapped to fill his shoes.
Richards filled in as a guest-host from late February to early March 2021 and was named permanent host that August. He stepped down from the position after intense backlash over his past comments about women, Jews and poor people, as well as resurfaced discrimination lawsuits, for which he has denied any wrongdoing.
Richards also later stepped down from his role as executive producer.
In September 2021, it was announced that Bialik and former champion Ken Jennings — both guest-hosts after Trebek’s death — would host “Jeopardy!” through the end of the year.
By July 2022, both Bialik and Jennings signed on to host “Jeopardy!” for the long haul, alternating hosting duties based on Bialik’s availability.
The pair continued as such until Friday’s announcement.
