Jeopardy! fans, Mayim Bialik is celebrating a major moment in her hosting career.
On June 16, the quiz show's Instagram surprised fans by revealing it won the Best Game Show award at the 5th annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards. An official press release further explained that Jeopardy! beat out other popular titles for the recognition, including Barmageddon, Password and The Wall. While the series wasn't up for more awards, the announcement led Mayim to reflect on her time as co-host.
Reposting a photo Jeopardy!'s social team used of her and cast mate Ken Jennings, she thanked viewers for continuing to tune in on a regular basis. "Wow! What an honor it is to be part of such an iconic and remarkable show," she captioned the picture.
When fans saw Mayim and Ken receive props for their work hosting Jeopardy!, they didn't hesitate to send congratulations for the accomplishment.
"So pleased for you both. Those were some really big shoes you two had to fill. 👏👏👏," one person wrote, referencing the late TV host Alex Trebek. "👏 You are both so very deserving of this," another replied. "Kudos to you both — great hosting 👏👏," a different follower exclaimed.
In 2021, Mayim got her start on the trivia show as a temporary fill-in while Jeopardy! looked for a permanent replacement after Alex's death. By the end of the year, she and Ken were sharing hosting duties. Fast forward, in July 2022, they were officially named permanent co-hosts. At the time, executive producer Michael Davies dropped an official statement sharing how thrilled he was to see Mayim and Ken step into such an iconic role and make show history.
"I write today with the exciting news that we have closed and signed deals with Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings to be the hosts of Jeopardy! moving forward," he said. "In Mayim and Ken, we have two outstanding hosts at the beginning of their Jeopardy! hosting careers who connect with their own unique fanbases, new fans, and the traditional Jeopardy! viewer."
Congrats!
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
