‘Not a job you retire from’: ‘Jeopardy!’ host Ken Jennings on his future with game show

(NewsNation) — “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings has no plans to step down from his “incredibly fun job” as host of the long-running game show.

Jennings, 51, spoke to TV Insider to promote his upcoming appearance on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” where he discussed his future on “Jeopardy!”

“Traditionally, it’s not a job you retire from. I didn’t know at the time, but now that I have a few years under my belt, I think I understand why Alex wanted to do it. It’s just such an incredibly fun job,” Jennings said. “I really feel very lucky that I’m still part of the ‘Jeopardy!’ family after all these years. And … I have no plans to hang it up.”

“Jeopardy!” hired Ken Jennings in 2021

Jennings took over as one of the hosts of “Jeopardy!” in 2021, following longtime host Alex Trebek’s death from pancreatic cancer. Trebek hosted the show from 1984 until his death in 2020.

Jenning split co-hosting duties alongside “The Big Bang Theory” actress Mayim Bialik until 2023, when Bialik was let go.

Executive Producer Michael Davies previously said that Bialik was let go because the show needed more consistency, and that “Ken really won the job,” according to People.

Jennings first appeared on “Jeopardy!” as a contestant in 2004, winning a record 74 consecutive games.

He also ranks as the top player, earning the highest winnings during a regular season, and the second highest earner of all time (including tournaments), with $4.3 million in winnings.