On Monday, word broke that legendary contestant Ken Jennings will be one of the guest hosts on upcoming episodes of Jeopardy! following the passing of iconic host Alex Trebek. Trebek, who passed away recently from pancreatic cancer, will still be on the air with never-seen episodes, however, and Jeopardy! announced further details on when his last shows will air.
First, the show will air ten of Trebek’s best episodes during the weeks of Dec. 21 and Dec. 28, referring to “anticipated preemptions around Christmas and New Year’s.” From there, however, Trebek’s last week of episodes will hit the air during the week of Jan. 4, 2021, before the guest-hosted shows begin on Jan. 11.
“Alex believed in the importance of Jeopardy! and always said that he wanted the show to go on after him,” said Jeopardy! Executive Producer Mike Richards. “We will honor Alex’s legacy by continuing to produce the game he loved with smart contestants and challenging clues. By bringing in familiar guest hosts for the foreseeable future, our goal is to create a sense of community and continuity for our viewers.”
It is important to note that the show indicates a long-term replacement “will not be named at this time,” and the announcement refers to a “series of interim guests hosts” that will begin with Jennings. While the choice of Jennings to be the first will undoubtedly spark speculation, fans can now plan around the airings of Trebek’s last episodes, which will be must-see television for fans of the beloved trivia program.