Jeopardy!’s new host frontrunners for Pop Culture spinoff from fan-favorite champs to memorable guest hosts
JEOPARDY! has announced that a Pop Culture edition of the iconic game show is coming to Amazon Prime.
With neither sole Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings nor the fired Mayim Bialik seemingly likely to take the reigns, here are the stars fans have predicted will be named host.
GettyJeopardy! has made no indication Ken Jennings will host its new spinoff[/caption]
Jeopardy!Fans spotted a clue that Celebrity Jeopardy! finalist Katie Nolan may host[/caption]
Jeopardy!Others said former champion Buzzy Cohen is a likely possibility[/caption]
Amazon Prime Video has picked up a fresh take on Jeopardy! which will stream exclusively on the platform.
The spinoff will be called Pop Culture Jeopardy!, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and will feature three big changes to the format.
Instead of answering general knowledge questions like the players on the standard edition of the game show, contestants will answer questions about pop culture subjects like music, movies, sports, TV, and more.
In addition, the show will be streaming instead of on broadcast TV like the nightly show.
And finally, there won’t be three individual contestants competing against each other. Instead, it will be three three-person teams facing off.
That said, there’s one big unanswered clue about the streaming edition of the show – and that’s who will stand behind the Jeopardy! lectern.
Showrunner Michael Davies has not indicated that Ken, 49, will host the spinoff while juggling the nightly show – so here’s who fans think will be chosen.
KATIE NOLAN
Jeopardy!Sports host Katie Nolan quietly retweeted the Pop Culture Jeopardy! announcement[/caption]
Katie Nolan, 37, is a former ESPN host and podcaster who was the runner-up in Celebrity Jeopardy! 2023.
Fans spotted a potential clue – Katie quietly retweeted the announcement of Pop Culture Jeopardy! when the news broke.
Viewers took to Reddit thinking this was a hint she could be the new host, especially since sports falls under pop culture.
“Katie Nolan retweeted this article and has worked with Michael Davies before,” one Redditor wrote earlier this week. “That would be fun,” agreed another.
Katie has close ties with showrunner Michael Davies and recently toured with the game show on Inside Jeopardy! live.
BUZZY COHEN
Jeopardy!Buzzy Cohen is a fan-favorite contestant who recently filled in for Ken Jennings[/caption]
Buzzy Cohen, 38, has also been named a clear frontrunner for the job by fans.
The former champion also stepped in to host new episodes during the 2024 tournament season after Mayim was let go.
Buzzy took charge of the “play-in games” that determined the final slots in a recent Champions Wildcard event.
Buzzy’s episodes are audio-only, marking a first for the game show, and also marked the first time someone other than Ken or Mayim hosted since both were named co-hosts.
“I’m guessing Buzzy,” another Redditor penned.
“I was super excited for this but with Buzzy I’d be through the roof!” wrote another.
SAM BUTTREY
Jeopardy!Sam caught the internet’s attention and quickly became a viewer fan-favorite during his run on the Jeopardy! Masters Tournament[/caption]
If Jeopardy! wants to keep hosting in-house, another obvious choice would be fan-favorite professor Sam Buttry, 63.
Sam is the sensation who was a finalist in the 2022 Tournament of Champions and the 2023 Masters spin-off.
He also coined the phrase “Bring it!” and the Steve Martin lookalike oozes charm on stage.
“Dare we dream for bon vivant and man about town Steve Martin Sam Buttrey?” one more social media user begged.
LEVAR BURTON
Jeopardy!Levar was a fan-favorite to be host in 2020 but didn’t get the job[/caption]
Another name being floated is LeVar Burton, 67, who was backed by the masses to take over for the late Alex Trebek before former producer Mike Richards chose himself (which was soon reversed to be Ken and Mayim).
That said, the Star Trek: The Next Generation alum has his hands full as he landed his own game show, Trivial Pursuit, on CWs.
WHY IT WON’T BE MAYIM
Instagram/celebrityjeopardyabcMayim has cut all ties with the show and vice versa since her 2023 exit[/caption]
Mayim announced she was “told I am no longer hosting Jeopardy!” at the end of 2023 in a bombshell Instagram post.
The show then released a statement saying “maintaining continuity” was the reason behind letting the actress go.
Mayim abandoned her Jeopardy! host duties in support of the WGA strike last year.In their statement, the show expressed that they “hoped” to work with Mayim on specials and spinoffs in the future.
But the actress has not indicated any plans to return to the franchise, even for Celebrity Jeopardy! which was recently renewed for Season 3.
JEOPARDY! GUEST HOSTS
After the death of longtime host Alex Trebek, Jeopardy! cycled through numerous guest hosts while searching for a permanent replacement.
Current Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings
Executive producer Mike Richards
Journalist Katie Couric
The Dr. Oz Show host Dr. Mehmet Oz
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper
60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker
Former champion Buzzy Cohen
Eventual Jeopardy! host Mayim Bialik
Today host Savannah Guthrie
CNN medical advisor Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopoulos
Fellow GMA star Robin Roberts
Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton
CNBC host David Faber
Fox sportscaster Joe Buck
“With the way Mayim left I highly doubt she’d be up for it,” one fan wrote on social media.
“100% agree, I do find it odd that the podcast did not even acknowledge her departure from The syndicated show,” wrote another.
“They never would have said anything about it at all if Mayim hadn’t announced it herself. She would have just “disappeared” as Mike Richards did,” wrote a third.
“Last we heard from [EP Michael] Davies he suggested Mayim could still return for some prime time events, which I suspect is TV executive BS,” wrote one more.
Jeopardy!Sam is the player behind the Jeopardy! catchphrase ‘Bring It!’[/caption]
Getty Images - GettyJeopardy! host Ken Jennings seems unlikely to take the reigns[/caption]
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