The American game show Jeopardy! is currently in its 39th season, making it one of the longest-running shows on US television. Back in 2021, the then-host announced his stepping down. Since then, two stars have permanently hosted the show, though they have welcomed many guest appearances as well. In case you missed them, here are some of the best & worst guest show host moments.
Jeopardy! Host Mayim Bialik
Mayim Bialik, an actress with a Ph.D. in neuroscience, hosted the show in May and June of 2021. Just a couple of months later, she was announced as a permanent host in the show’s spin-off series. The star has said more than once what an honor it was for her to participate in Jeopardy! She said it enabled her to influence a wider audience, showing that women can be scientists and participate in such intellectual endeavors. However, Bialik isn’t the only star who’s hosted the show since 2021.
Katie Couric
Katie Couric was chosen as the first female guest host on the show. She starred from March 8th until 19th, 2021. During that time, all cumulative winnings went to an organization the veteran journalist co-founded in 2008. The money was used to support some of the most advanced cancer treatments to help patients.
Dr. Mehmet Oz
Dr. Mehmet Oz wasn’t one of the well-accepted guest hosts. He participated in the show at the end of March 2021. However, shortly after his announcement as a guest host, former contestants published an open letter in opposition to his appointment. Many feared his casting celebrates know-it-all’s opinions instead of those of academics. The celebrated doctor didn’t pay much attention to the backlash and starred in Jeopardy! anyway.
Host Aaron Rodgers
The Green Bay Packers quarterback said his time on the show was an honor he’d remember forever. He star-hosted Jeopardy! in April and brought a whopping 14% rating boost. His performance was much more successful than the two stars who preceded him – Dr. Mehmet Oz and Katie Couric.
Host Bill Whitaker
Bill Whitaker also participated in Jeopardy!, describing hosting the show as the most surreal experience of his lifetime. He was so excited that he felt he had to pinch himself back to reality, as he couldn’t believe where he was. He also commented on the challenges he faced. Up to then, he was used to talking to just one camera. On the game show, however, there are different cameras used at particular moments, making it much more fast-paced than everything else he had done.