Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings reveals the final dialog he had with predecessor Alex Trebek simply HOURS earlier than he died – admitting he had no thought it will be the ultimate time they spoke: ‘We thought he’d bounce again’

Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings has opened up about his ultimate dialog with the late Alex Trebek, revealing that the pair had been talking concerning the present the evening earlier than Trebek died.

The enduring recreation present star died in November 2020 at age 80, after battling pancreatic cancer for practically two years. 

Throughout Trebek’s time because the host, Jennings turned the very best incomes contestant on the present and commenced working as a guest host for the TV legend.

The 49-year-old revealed that the pair had loved a dialog about him visitor internet hosting once more for the star, simply hours earlier than Trebek finally handed away.

Closing phrases: Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings has opened up about his ultimate dialog with the late Alex Trebek

Jennings (pictured with Trebek) stated that he had no thought it will be his ultimate probability to talk together with his predecessor, as a result of he thought the 80-year-old was going to ‘bounce again’  

Chatting with Last Podcast on the Left, Jennings recalled: ‘I truly ended up speaking to him what turned out to be the evening earlier than the day he handed away, about visitor internet hosting for him.’

The dialog had turned to Trebek when Jennings was requested whether or not the host had ever given him any recommendation concerning the job. 

Jennings admitted: ‘We truly didn’t know. We thought, “Oh, he’s going to get higher, he’s gonna bounce again, he’ll be internet hosting once more.” I used to be simply going to fill in.

‘, he gave me the impression he at all times did over time, which was that he didn’t wish to be the focal point on Jeopardy!’

He continued: ‘He was by no means introduced because the star of Jeopardy! – he was at all times the host of Jeopardy! as a result of he thought the sport itself and the contestants ought to be the star.’

Jennings has been sharing hosting duties for the show with The Large Bang Concept star Mayim Bialik since Trebek’s handed away.

Nonetheless, some fans have been left disappointed by the host as a result of his latest resolution to take over for Bailik on Celeb Jeopardy! – amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.  

Certainly, some viewers are even going so far as to model the on-air star a ‘scab’ for crossing the picket strains.

Late icon: Jennings revealed in a brand new interview that the pair had been talking concerning the present the evening earlier than Trebek died

Shared historical past: The enduring recreation present star died in November 2020 at age 80, after battling pancreatic most cancers for practically two years

Bialik, 47, was initially speculated to be internet hosting the spinoff however made the choice to step down to be able to help the writers and actors who’re presently placing towards unfair wages amongst different situations.

Whereas the actress and Jennings cut up internet hosting the newest common season of Jeopardy!, the previous had beforehand hosted the spinoff Celeb Jeopardy! reveals on her personal. 

Now, Jennings has stepped in for the most recent season which is about to premiere on September 27, even though strikes are exhibiting no indicators of drawing to an in depth. 

Showrunner Michael Davies revealed that the fabric for Celeb Jeopardy! season two was written earlier than the strike. 

Nonetheless, the plan for Jeopardy! transferring ahead is to reuse materials from earlier season fairly than happening hiatus or exhibiting reruns to help the strike.

Followers took to Twitter to name Jennings out for being a scab, a time period used for somebody who chooses to cross the picket line and work throughout a strike.

The sport present star initially crossed the picket line in Might when the strike first started.

New function: Jennings now shares internet hosting duties with The Large Bang Concept star Mayim Bialik 

Blast from the previous: The sport shoe star turned a famend determine on on Jeopardy! when he went on the present as a contestant in 2004

Large winner: In complete, the trivia grasp ended up strolling away with $4.52 million; pictured with Trebek in 2020

Bialik stepped away from her internet hosting duties proper when the strike was introduced. 

The pair have alternated internet hosting duties this season, with Jennings presenting episodes between August and December and Bialik taking on in January. 

The previous Jeopardy! champion as a substitute took over the remainder of her slot and can seemingly proceed to take action till the strike is over. 

Jennings turned a famend determine on on Jeopardy! when he went on the present as a contestant in 2004.

He went on to set the longest streak ever on the present with 74 video games gained. In complete, the trivia grasp ended up strolling away with $4.52 million.

He would go on to seem in quite a few tournaments together with the Final Event of Champions in 2005, Jeopardy!: The IBM Problem in 2011, the Battle of the Many years in 2014 and Jeopardy! All-Star Video games in 2019.

Jennings defended his title because the GOAT, Biggest of all Occasions, when he gained a particular occasion towards different champions Brad Rutter and James Holzhauer.