After months on the shelf thanks to the still-ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Jeopardy! is finally back to taping episodes. The good news is that Alex Trebek is back at the helm of the show, as there was some concern that the legendary host may play it safe as he battles Stage IV pancreatic cancer.
According to reports, Trebek is, indeed, back to hosting the show as its 37th season is set to start on September 14. But one new addition to this year is a much more prominent role for the greatest Jeopardy! player of all time, Ken Jennings. It may seem like it was years ago that the man with the longest Jeopardy! winning streak in show history bested James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter in the GOAT Tournament, but Trebek has been busy in the months since.
He released a board game, for one, and now according to USA Today he will join the new season of Jeopardy!
Champion Ken Jennings, who in January triumphed over James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter in “The Greatest of All Time” tournament, has been recruited as a consulting producer this season. He’ll “present his own special video categories, develop projects, assist with contestant outreach, and serve as a general ambassador for the show, Sony said. (His first video category airs Sept. 15.)
The show’s Twitter account shared the news on Thursday as well, including its customary hype video.
#Jeopardy37 starts September 14 with some exciting changes!
Mic check, one, two. Can you hear us, @KenJennings? pic.twitter.com/ojO2By0AeH
— Jeopardy! Returns 9/14! (@Jeopardy) September 3, 2020
The USA Today piece has some other fun facts about how they brought Jeopardy! back in a world where social distancing is paramount, including a very visual reminder in the fact that contestants will be more spaced out on the set. But the good news is the show is coming back, and so is Trebek. Anything after that, including the Jeopardy! GOAT’s presence on the show, is just a very impressive bonus.
[via USA Today]