‘Jeopardy!’: With Mayim Bialik Out, Buzzy Cohen To Host Champion Wildcard Tournament Play-In Games

A new but familiar face — or rather, voice — is helping Ken Jennings out over at Jeopardy!

Buzzy Cohen, co-host of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast and a previous champ on the beloved trivia show, is hosting two of the Champions Wildcard Tournament’s play-in games after former co-host Mayim Bialik was fired from the show late last year, per TV Insider.

Cohen — who won nine consecutive Jeopardy! games in 2016 leading up to his “Tournament of Champions” victory in 2017 — is no stranger to being on the other side of the stage, as he previously guest hosted the “Tournament of Champions” in 2021.

One important distinction about Cohen’s episodes is that they won’t be broadcast on TV, but rather streamed on TuneIn, an audio streaming service. According to a press release obtained by Decider, “these will be the first official Jeopardy! episodes to be presented exclusively in an audio format,” and “will air in two parts.”

“The winners of the Wildcard Play-In Games will advance to the Season 39 Champions Wildcard competition, in which every contestant who won one or two games last season will compete for a chance to play in the highly anticipated 2024 Tournament of Champions,” the release reads.

On Instagram, Cohen informed his followers of the exciting news, noting that he”was honored to stand behind the lectern and deliver some wonderful clues to these past champions.”

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He joins as co-host about a month after Bialik’s exit from the show, which she announced in December 2023.

“Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!” she shared on Instagram at the time. “I am incredibly honored to have been nominated for a primetime Emmy for hosting this year and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Jeopardy! family.”

Bialik’s support of the WGA strike prompted her to take time off from hosting, which according to a report from TMZ, allegedly “opened [Sony] execs’ eyes about their dual host system.”

“Mayim stepping away gave Ken an opportunity … and he took it and ran with it, improving his hosting skills while she was away,” TMZ reported.

Nonetheless, Jennings told The Hollywood Reporter that Bialik’s departure “took [him] off guard.”

“Because I loved working with my Mayim and I’m gonna miss her,” he added. “I can’t speak to her decision-making process or her opinions about it.”

Jeopardy! airs weeknights at 7/6c. Check out the website for your local listings.