MAYIM Bialik has revealed she isn’t opposed to returning to Jeopardy! in a surprising revelation on Tuesday.
Last December, the former The Big Bang Theory actress shared that she was fired from the beloved game show.
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Mayim, 48, began hosting Jeopardy in August 2021 alongside Ken Jennings, 50 – who were given permanent gigs in 2022 after the legendary Alex Trebek died.
At the time of the TV star’s dismissal from the syndicated or nightly show, Ken was made full-time host.
Many fans thought her chapter on the show was fully closed, especially since, during the show’s summer hiatus, producers removed the last traces of her from their website.
However, in a new interview with Fox News, she shared her thoughts on returning to the podium.
‘WE’LL SEE’
“I’m definitely still a fan of the show and very honored that I was nominated for an Emmy for my work there,” she said.
“That is something that I got to change my bio, that I was nominated for Jeopardy.
“So, yeah, it’s something I’m still very proud of. And yeah, we’ll see what happens this season.”
In May, it was revealed that ABC renewed Celebrity Jeopardy, but has yet to name a host.
Mayim hosted the spin-off show in Season 1 of its reboot, Ken Season 2.
‘DIDN’T READ THE COMMENTS’
Mayim also shared that she avoided negative reactions she got about her hosting compared to Ken when they were switching off.
“I didn’t read the comments, which I think is good advice in general.”
“And I think, essentially, that’s all I can say about it. I didn’t read the comments and that’s kind of an old practice of mine to try and maintain sanity.
“And also, I have a lot of respect for the ‘Jeopardy’ fans because it’s a real legacy. It’s a real legacy fandom, so it’s super important.”
BYE-ALIK
On December 15, 2023, Mayim announced to the world that she would no longer host Jeopardy.
In a statement shared on Instagram, the podcast host said, “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 am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the Jeopardy! family.
“For all of you who have supported me through this journey and to the fans, contestants, writers, staff of America’s favorite quiz show, thank you,” she concluded.
An hour later, the offical Jeopardy Instagram account confirmed the news.
Jeopardy! Set Secrets
Jeopardy! fans don’t see everything behind the scenes from watching on TV. These hidden set features make the show run smoothly:
- Each podium has a hidden riser so that all contestants appear to be the same height.
- After each clue is read, signal lights go off around the game board, indicating players can buzz in and respond.
- Buzz in too early, and you’re locked out for .25 seconds.
- The podiums have a small white light in the lower left corner, which tells Ken Jennings who goes next.
- Contrary to popular belief, the player with control doesn’t have a buzzer advantage on the next clue.
- To the game board’s left is a scoreboard so the players can see their opponents’ scores.
- All contestants must bring three outfits to the studio, but only the host and returning champion change for the next episode.
- There are wardrobe rules, including restrictions on busy patterns, solid white, purple (like the background), and logos.
- Five episodes are taped in a single day, and sometimes more.
- The categories, players (aside from the returning champion), and Final Jeopardy! for a tape day are all drawn randomly to ensure fairness.
- Female contestants are asked not to wear makeup, which is applied backstage, and don’t wear mascara because of sweat.
- Contestants fill out a questionnaire, and producers select five Q&A topics for the host.
- Host Ken isn’t allowed to interact with the contestants until after the game.
- Players can request to sit in a chair while competing without question.
It said, “Mayim Bialik has announced she will no longer be hosting the syndicated [or nightly] version of Jeopardy!.
“We have made the decision to have one host for the syndicated show next season to maintain continuity for our viewers.”
Showrunner Michael Davies later defended their reasoning, saying, “Viewers wanted more consistency. They wanted a single host.”
That said, in their initial statement, Jeopardy! also kept the door open to Mayim on future spinoffs and specials, saying they “hope” to still work with her.
MAYIM’S STANCE
Early last month, The US Sun exclusively reported that Jeopardy removed Mayim’s name from its website, making it clear that she would never return to the show.
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The About The Show page only features Ken’s bio and not Mayim’s.
Last year, Mayim walked out during the final weeks of Jeopardy Season 39 due to the WGA strike – forming speculation Ken would be the sole host.
That speculation became a reality soon after, and she never returned to the show.
In an interview with Vanity Fair last September, she explained her reasoning for her initial exit, “There’s a lot of complexity to this, but my general statement is always that I come from a union family.
“While it’s not for me to personally judge anyone else’s decision, for me, I am a union supporter—pretty much all unions and what they fight for.
“I believe in that system even if it’s not perfect. I believe in getting educated about why people strike and what they’re striking for.”
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