‘Jeopardy!’ host Ken Jennings reacts to Mayim Bialik’s exit

After the sudden exit of Mayim Bialik from Jeopardy!, cohost, Ken Jennings shared his reaction to the dismissal.

“It took me off guard, because I loved working with my Mayim and I’m gonna miss her,” Jennings, 49, told The Hollywood Reporter. “I can’t speak to her decision-making process or her opinions about it.”

Following the death of Alex Trebek in 2020, Jennings, who is the winningest contestant of the show, had stepped in to become the permanent host of the show. Last year, The Big Bang Theory alum, 48, joined the show to split hosting duties with Jennings.

Bialik announced earlier this month that Sony informed her she would no longer be hosting Jeopardy! starting in 2024.

He went on to add that he’s “just a fan” of the show and is “always delighted to host when they call upon” him.

“I just feel extremely lucky to have even been considered for this job as a non-broadcaster,” he continued.

“It’s kind of a weird thing to try to bring back an ex-contestant to host, and I’ve obviously been learning as I go. But I loved growing up with Jeopardy! where Alex was the host of that show for almost 38 years, and people just kind of felt like he was part of their family, and it’s impossible to fill those shoes.”

Celebrity Jeopardy! Is set to air on Tuesday, January 2, 2023, for its semifinals and finals.