Ken Jennings finishes running guest hosting on Jeopardy! thanking legendary former host Alex Trebek
Ken Jennings is Jeopardy’s first guest presenter! after the tragic death of Alex Trebek last year it came to an end.
As she did in her debut as a presenter, which aired on January 11, Jennings showed class by paying tribute to Trebek after his final show on February 19.
‘This is the end of my six weeks of hosting as a guest of @Jeopardy,’ the consulting producer and legendary competitor shared on Twitter along with a photo of himself wearing a purple ribbon during his hosting season.
‘Thanks for watching, thanks for your patience with a difficult learning curve … and, as always, thanks Alex.’
End of the race: Ken Jennings ended his six-week season as Jeopardy’s first guest host! after the death of Alex Trebek in November last year
The purple ribbon Jennings wore on his suit was a show of support for pancreatic cancer research.
Jennings, who is widely considered to be a contender for The Greatest Show of All Time, honored Trebek after each of his episodes, ending the session by saying, ‘Thank you, Alex.’
Trebek passed away on November 8, 2020 at the age of 80, after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
To show how much he loved life and the game show, the Canadian worked through much of his fight against cancer and recorded his final episode on October 29, 2020, 10 days before his death.
Tribute: Jennings, 46, thanked Trebek at the end of his six-week season as a guest host, just as all other episodes worked
RIP: Trebek was 80 when he passed away on November 8, 2020, after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer
Jennings, 46, was honored to be the first person to climb to the podium and microphone after Trebek’s death. In a fitting tribute, he shared some heartfelt words in the opening minute of his debut, where he referenced his historic race in Jeopardy! in 2004.
‘Sharing this stage with Alex Trebel was one of the greatest honors of my life’, he started in front of the audience before describing him as ‘almost perfect for 36 years’ as a presenter.
‘We were dazzled by his intelligence, his charm, his grace; there is really no other word for it. ‘
Jennings holds the record for the longest winning streak on Jeopardy! with 74 consecutive wins. Between his championship reign and tournament appearances over the years, his total winnings add up to $ 4,522,700.
A real honor: Jennings was honored to be the first person to step up to the podium and microphone and serve as a guest host for Jeopardy! in the wake of Trebek’s death
GOAT: Jennings holds the record for the longest winning streak on Jeopardy! with 74 consecutive wins in 2004, earning more than $ 4 million in the program
The show’s producers have yet to name a full-time replacement for Trebek, but have revealed some of the invited hosts for the rest of the season.
Mike Richards, executive producer of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, is taking over from February 22nd through March 5th. He comes with a lot of camera experience, having featured several shows including Beauty and the Geek and Pyramid.
Some of the other high-profile people who will be the presenters include ex-Today presenter Katie Couric, CNN anchor and reporter Anderson Cooper and actress Mayim Bialik.
Legendary race: The Canadian was the host of Jeopardy! for 37 seasons, from his rebirth in 1984 to his death in 2020