Danger! host Ken Jennings wasn’t the show’s ‘first choice’ because of the ‘problem’ he’s trying to improve to stay in the ‘long term’

KEN Jennings was not initially chosen to replace Alex Trebek on Jeopardy! because he doesn’t have the skills of a natural TV presenter, a studio member told The US Sun.

The former champion, 50, was named sole host in December 2023 after actress Mayim Bialik, 48, was dropped from the series.

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Prior to that, Ken was one of several guest hosts who auditioned when Alex died of pancreatic cancer in November 2020.

Ken’s trivia skills have never been questioned, as he holds the record for the longest winning streak on Jeopardy! history with 74 victories in 2004.

But there have been questions about his on-screen charisma as he transitions from celebrity champion to the face of the franchise.

Ken never had another major TV role to his name.

But he’s not letting that stop him as he develops his role long-term.

‘KEN KNOWS HIS PROBLEMS’

A source told The US Sun that Ken’s ease on screen is something he’s working to resolve, which is why he wasn’t an immediate option to replace Alex.

“The long-term goal with his hosting has been to bring more of his relaxed, pleasant side to his on-air interactions with contestants,” the source said.

“This is much easier said than done because the recording of the episodes is highly technical and there is not much room for maneuver in this format.

“To his credit, Ken is self-aware and knows that his issues will always be how his personality will be read on camera.

“And not your proven experience with trivia or the game Jeopardy! itself.

“Ken knows this, Sony knows this and everyone knows this is the reason he was never the first choice to replace Alex Trebek,” they stated.

“He got this job because the other candidates didn’t work out, and Ken is at peace with that.”

‘BALANCING ACT’

Ken’s hosting role now requires much more than just appearing in court with three contestants and an audience of millions every night of the week.

Although he only records twice a week (five games a day), his work is expanding along with the increasingly modernized program.

“Being the face of Jeopardy! It seems like an easy task with just a few shooting dates per month, but there’s a little more to it than that,” the source added.

“Ken also appears to give pep talks at audience recruiting events across the country, and as the franchise has moved away from the Alex era, Ken has had to set aside time.

He is now embarking on “various merchandising and spinoffs of the show, which are very important to maintaining the profitability of the entire enterprise.”

Ken made a surprise appearance on Inside Jeopardy! Live on Tour in New York in April, where he spoke at length and presented a pseudo-game to 150 people.

“It’s a high-stakes balancing act that Ken has had to grow into, and his Emmy nomination last year was a huge vote of confidence that the TV industry, or at least a healthy part of it, is rooting for Ken make this work and have a long run like Alex did.”

The source added that getting Ken over Mayim, a decades-old sitcom actress, may have seemed like a gamble, but it’s paying off.

“Even the transition from Mayim Bialik and Ken sharing hosting duties to just Ken having the work made Sony nervous.

“But Ken has shown he can do the job himself, and the ratings bear that out.

“As long as the ratings hold up and he doesn’t make major public gaffes, Sony will stick with him, haters be damned.”

‘OK WITH PAY CUT’

While Ken’s transition from contestant to TV lead may be his biggest hurdle, other factors contributed to the decision not to pick him first.

He has given up posting on his once-controversial Twitter page, which got him into trouble when he was a guest host.

He also auditioned for former executive producer Mike Richards, who initially named himself as Alex’s host successor – which lasted a week.

Ken is reportedly tied to a $4 million hosting contract.

The US Sun previously reported that his contract is not yet long-term.

However, Ken is happy to take a pay cut to ensure he remains a host for decades to come.

Of course, Ken is already comfortable. He earned $2.5 million from his record 74-game competitive streak, $4.3 million including tournaments.

That said, Alex reportedly earned $10 million a year at the end of his 36-year tenure, which is more than double Ken’s salary, even before a possible pay cut.

HAVOK HOST

Ken holds the record for the longest winning streak on Jeopardy! history with 74 consecutive victories in 2004.

Alex hosted the modern iteration of the show from 1984 until November 2020, after losing a battle with pancreatic cancer.

After his death, things got a little chaotic, as viewers know all too well.

After a series of guest hosts, officials announced that producer Mike Richards and actress Mayim would take over as co-hosts.

Danger! Host timeline

Danger! has had a tumultuous history regarding hosts following the death of the iconic Alex Trebek in 2020. Here are every host since the game show’s inception in 1964.

Art Fleming – from 1964 to 1975, he was the original host of the daytime version of Jeopardy! on NBC.

Alex Trebek – From 1984 to 2020, the late, great Alex hosted the modern iteration of Jeopardy! for 36 years until his death from pancreatic cancer.

Guest Hosts – 2020 to 2021, Jeopardy! tested a series of guest hosts for one- or two-week stints, including Anderson Cooper, LaVar Burton and Aaron Rodgers.

Mike Richards – 2021, he was named host for a week before resigning amid controversy. He was the show’s executive producer at the time.

Mayim Bialik – 2021 to 2023, when Mike was announced as the show’s new host, Mayim was chosen to host tournaments and primetime specials.

Mayim and Ken Jennings – 2022 to 2023, 74-time champion Ken (the winningest contestant of all time) joined Mayim as guest host and they shared hosting duties.

Ken Jennings – 2023 to present. Last December, Mayim announced on Instagram that she would “no longer” host Jeopardy! after a long hiatus, having defended the writers’ strike, and Ken was named sole host.

Ken now runs all editions of Jeopardy! including Celebrity Jeopardy!, the late night show and other primetime specials such as Masters.

However, in August 2021, Richards resigned due to resurfaced sexist comments and Ken stepped in to share hosting duties with Mayim.

In July 2022, it was announced that Mayim and Ken would continue to host together in season 39, leaving.

However, following the show’s hiatus in the summer of 2023, it was revealed that Jennings would take over as permanent host for season 40.

Mayim announced in a personal Instagram message in late December 2023 that she would “no longer host” the show.

“As the Hollywood holidays begin, I have some Jeopardy! news,” she began her post.

“Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!”

Danger! cobbled together a similar message on Instagram an hour later, and it has since been reported that Mayim broke the news without consulting the show first.

Ken later said he “understood” the decision, as the shows “don’t have two hosts”.

Now, Ken runs every facet of Jeopardy! including specials and spinoffs.

In another interview, he said clearly, “I’m looking forward to another 37 years of doing this [hosting]when I’m a very, very old man.”

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