"Jeopardy!" Fans Think They Know When Mayim Bialik Could Return as Host
The theory comes after "Celebrity Jeopardy!" was renewed for a third season.
It's been six months since Mayim Bialik was relinquished of her Jeopardy! hosting duties—and now, fans are convinced that the actor's comeback could be on the horizon. On Reddit, one user theorized Bialik could be back for Jeopardy!'s celebrity pop quiz spin-off.
Bialik famously co-hosted the quiz show for two years alongside current moderator Ken Jennings. However, a months-long leave due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes turned into an extended absence from the Jeopardy!-verse in 2023. Later that year, Bialik announced that she and Jeopardy! were parting ways for good.
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On Dec. 15, 2023, Bialik revealed on X that she had been fired from hosting syndicated Jeopardy! episodes. Despite the decision not being mutual, the Blossom star remarked that she was "incredibly honored" and "deeply grateful" for her time on the game show.
In a previous statement to Best Life, a Jeopardy! spokesperson attributed Bialik's exit to "continuity" reasons.
"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! We are truly grateful for all of Mayim's contributions to Jeopardy!, and we hope to continue to work with her on primetime specials," they confirmed.
However, eagle-eyed fans quickly pointed out the strategic use of language in Bialik's formal announcement, noting that The Big Bang Theory star only referenced the "syndicated version of Jeopardy!" In other words, Bialik could come back to host primetime tournaments such as Celebrity Jeopardy! (Bialik was the face of Celebrity Jeopardy! before Jennings' full hosting takeover.)
Those on Team Bialik have been rallying behind the actor for quite some time. One X user said they prefer her hosting chops to Jennings', while another alleged that Bialik would have been Alex Trebek's preferred successor.
In the Reddit thread, one fan said they are keeping their fingers crossed that Bialik will appear on their TV screen "hopefully soon."
"Hopefully, when the next season (Season 3) of Primetime Celebrity Jeopardy! comes, Mayim Bialik will be back to host," they wrote.
Another added, "I thought she did pretty well in her initial guest host run; she was comfortable and having fun and got along with the players; clue-reading left something to be desired…Celeb let her loosen up again and she was a much better host there, so if she were still around i'd say keep giving her the primetime shows."
But other fans debunked this theory. "It's more likely that her brief tenure as host eventually ends up as a $200 clue in a future game than her coming back to host," quipped one fan.
"I'd bet good money that we'll never see her hosting again," read another comment, to which someone else responded, "I agree!"
A third season of Celebrity Jeopardy! has been confirmed, however a host and air date has yet to be announced.
