Jeopardy! Reveals Why Mayim Bialik Was Dropped as Host
Paul Dailly
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If you've been enjoying Mayim Bialik on the daytime iteration of Jeopardy!, we have some bad news.
The Big Bang Theory alum took to social media over the weekend with a stunning announcement:
She's been let go from the iconic game show.
"As the holiday break begins in Hollywood, I have some Jeopardy! news," she shared on Instagram, revealing the news.
"Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!"
"I am incredibly honored to have been nominated for a primetime Emmy for hosting this year and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Jeopardy! family.
"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 was officially revealed as the host of the syndicated edition in Summer 2022 alongside Ken Jennings.
The pair then went on to appear sporadically, and now, it looks like Jennings will continue as the sole host.
There had been a bit of drama behind the scenes as the show desperately tried to find a host following the death of Alex Trebek.
Series EP Mike Richards was briefly installed as host.
Bialik's time on the show hit pause earlier this year when she departed taping of the final episode of Season 39, with Jennings returning to finish out the season.
Rumors about Mayim's future on the show have been swirling ever since, and now, we have our answer.
Sony went public with a statement on the decision shortly after Mayim revealed the news, citing "continuity for our viewers" as a reason.
"We made the decision to have one host for the syndicated show next season to maintain continuity for our viewers, and Ken Jennings will be the sole host for syndicated Jeopardy," the statement reads.
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"We are truly grateful for all of Mayim's contributions to Jeopardy!, and we hope to continue to work with her on primetime specials."
While the decision to remove Bialik from the syndicated series will no doubt be controversial, there has been a bit of a debate amongst the show fans over who the better host is.
The reality is that the numbers haven't been affected by switching things up in the hosting department.
"When Ken is hosting and Mayim is hosting, there's zero difference [in the ratings]," EP Michael Davies previously told Vulture.
"I back both of them. I go to the studio every day and try to make both of them better at hosting the show and make a better program environment around them. They have my full support."
The good news is that it seems the door is opened for Mayim's return on the primetime editions of the show.
ABC has relied heavily on primetime editions in recent years, and with the ratings still strong, they won't be drying up any time soon.
Jennings was revealed as the host of Celebrity Jeopardy! this season. However, there are plenty of other editions on ABC, so we should get more clarity about what Bialik's involvement might look like in the coming months.
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ABC has many scripted series earmarked to launch at the beginning of 2024 as its slate returns to some normalcy following delays brought on by the dual Hollywood strikes.
What are your thoughts on removing Bialik from the show's syndicated version?
Did you find having multiple hosts confusing, or do you think it added something to the show?
Do you want Mayim to return for the primetime editions in the future?
Hit the comments.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
