“Jeopardy!” fans are excited to see Ken Jennings behind the podium for a whole new trivia show spin-off.
Although the show may be new, the faces won’t be. The new spinoff, currently titled “Jeopardy! Masters,” will feature some of the best contestants to ever have played on the Alex Trebek stage.
Ken Jennings To Host ‘Jeopardy! Masters’ Spin-Off At ABC
Unfortunately, there is not much information about the new “Jeopardy!” spin-off at this time. The news comes as ABC picks up new seasons of “Celebrity Family Feud,” “Press Your Luck,” and “Claim To Fame.” The new “Jeopardy” spin-off will join “Celebrity Jeopardy!”, hosted by “The Big Bang Theory” alum Mayim Bialik.
The new “Jeopardy!” spin-off will feature celebrities of a different kind. Six of the highest-rated contestants are set to face off against one another, which seems a bit reminiscent of when Ken Jennings bested James Holzhauer and Brad Rutter in the “Jeopardy!” The Greatest Of All Time” tournament in 2020.
Ken will also appear in this tournament, but only as the host. He will not be competing to allow a new “master” to step into the spotlight. According to ABC (via The Hollywood Reporter), the new spin-off will feature a “Champions League Style” of gameplay and also be executive produced by showrunner Michael Davies.
Although Brad Rutter is stepping out of this competition, James Holzhauer will still compete. Several of the favorites from season 38, including Matt Amodio, Amy Schneider, Mattea Roach, and Andrew He will also compete, as well as the 2021 Professor Tournament winner, Sam Buttrey.
Sam had become a fan-favorite for his performance in the 2022 Tournament of Champions, which saw Amy once again coming out on top after creating a 40-game win streak last January.
While it was still not enough to beat Ken’s record of 74 games that he set back in 2004, it is still the closest that anyone has come in nearly two decades.
Now Fans Know What Amy Was Hinting At After Her Tournament Of Champions Win!
I have no doubt that Jeopardy, and trivia, will continue to be part of my life, but I also want to step up my advocacy on behalf of my trans community in the next year, I’m talking with a few different organizations about how I can make that happen
— Amy Schneider (@Jeopardamy) December 2, 2022
In a lengthy Twitter thread summing up her thoughts on the 2022 Tournament of Champions, the former software engineer decided to give fans a peek at her post-Jeopardy! future.
“I have no doubt that Jeopardy, and trivia, will continue to be part of my life, but I also want to step up my advocacy on behalf of my trans community in the next year, I’m talking with a few different organizations about how I can make that happen,” she began.
She also gave fans another update on her book. Shortly after her 40-game win in January, Amy was signed to the talent agency CAA and announced that she planned to write a book. It looks like that plan is still in development, as well as “a couple of other projects that I can’t talk about quite here.”
However, there was one other big teaser that Amy shared with her fans. “I know I’ll be making at least one more appearance on Jeopardy, in a way you might not be expecting!” she teased. “But again, I can’t say much more.”
At the time, many fans speculated that she was going to appear as a clue reader in one of the categories, but they never would have suspected that she would be back to compete again so soon!
As Amy said herself, “I have no doubt that Jeopardy, and trivia, will continue to be part of my life” and fans are definitely looking forward to it!
‘Jeopardy!’ Has Been Renewed Through 2028!
If that news wasn’t good enough, ABC also announced that “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” have been renewed for five more seasons, which means that they will both air through the 2027-2028 season. This will put “Wheel of Fortune” in its 45th season and “Jeopardy!” in its 44th.
Deadline reported that “Jeopardy!” is the most-watched show in syndication with around nine million viewers weekly. Meanwhile, “Wheel of Fortune” – still hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White – is reported to be the second most-watched same-day entertainment show on TV after “60 Minutes.”
Steve LoCascio, President of CBS Media Ventures said, “Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are the crown jewels of syndication, drawing larger audiences than almost every prime-time broadcast show. This new deal is a testament to the power of these shows and the power of broadcast television. Viewers and advertisers alike love these shows, and we are excited that this deal continues the legacy of these brands for years to come.”
Debra O’Connell, President of Disney Networks, added, “We are thrilled to extend our long-running relationship with Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. These beloved shows are national treasures that we are proud to bring into the top local markets in the country along with ABC’s award-winning, market-leading news, and entertainment programming.”
Suzanne Prete, EVP of Game Shows for Sony Pictures Television, went on to say, “We are delighted to continue to work alongside our great partners at ABC and CBS to bring two of the most iconic game shows in the world to loyal fans across the nation. The ABC stations have added incredible value to the Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! franchises, and we couldn’t be happier to continue our long relationship with them.”
