Co-host and former champion Ken Jennings returned to host “Jeopardy!” for its 40th season, ending weeks of confusion amid the labor strikes.
Mr. Jennings, who began solo hosting duties Monday, had been hosting the show with actress Mayim Bialik. However, the “Big Bang Theory” star walked away from the show after the Screen Actors Guild began its strike in July.
Mr. Jennings also will host the new season of “Celebrity Jeopardy!” starting this month.
On top of losing one of its hosts, “Jeopardy!” has lost its writers due to the Writers Guild of America strike. As a result, the 40th season is a second-chance competition for contestants from season 37, featuring 27 contestants who did not win in their initial appearances.
This season sees bigger prize pools. According to Executive Producer Michael Davies, second- and third-place contestants receive $3,000 and $2,000, marking a $1,000 raise in prize money.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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