Jeopardy's Major Spinoff News Raises Questions About Mayim Bialik

Not long after being named one of the tandem hosts of "Jeopardy!" along with Ken Jennings, Mayim Bialik caused a little controversy with die-hard fans. While hosting an episode that aired in February, Bialik referred to the opening round of the game show as "Single Jeopardy!" although it had traditionally been simply called "Jeopardy!" Some viewers were thrown into a tizzy over the modification, but "The Big Bang Theory" insisted she was not to blame for the name change. According to Bialik, she was only following orders from producers. "So it's not like Mayim's going rogue! Everything is very carefully monitored," she told Yahoo! Entertainment in March. "There's a thing in my ear, I promise."

Another slight, but notable change the "Big Bang Theory" actor made while hosting was trying out a more vibrant wardrobe. Bialik mentioned how Alex Trebek opted for suits with more muted colors, but she took a different approach. "Whereas I might wear colors sometimes and you might recognize that jacket because we also have a budget," she told Entertainment Tonight in April.

More backlash ensued when Ken Jennings tweeted on May 7 that he was taking a break from "Jeopardy!" hosting duties for a while and that Bialik was taking over. That caused a mixed response from viewers, as many voiced their preference for Jennings. "No disrespect, but I can't watch with her hosting," one viewer replied. Not long after, fans were buzzing yet again when "Jeopardy!" made an announcement about a spinoff show.

ABC announced on May 17 that "Celebrity Jeopardy!" would be returning in the fall of 2022. The wording of the announcement caused both reporters and viewers to question the hosting status of the fan-favorite spinoff, as Mayim Bialik had previously been slated to host the show's specials. "A host will be announced at a later date," the announcement from ABC said, per Variety. Craig Erwich, an executive at the network, was asked if the omission of a host had any significance. "It's really just about the details of the announcement," Erwich told Variety. "I wouldn't read anything into it," he added. The ABC executive clarified that Bialik had not been ruled out as a potential "Celebrity Jeopardy!" host.

The non-committal announcement caused fans to speculate about Bialik's status. "Looking forward to celebrity jeopardy!! I wonder if mayim is doing double duty between this & the regular shows," one viewer wondered. While others were quick to name other celebrities as potential hosts. "@Jeopardy knows what it should do, go get @levarburton now!" a fan suggested. "If Mayim is too busy, may I suggest @aishatyler as host for Celebrity Jeopardy?" another wrote.

One Jennings fan took the "Celebrity Jeopardy!" announcement as a good omen. "Could this mean that Ken will be the permanent host of Jeopardy?!? Please let this happen!" they tweeted. Meanwhile, in March, Bialik made it clear that she "would love" the opportunity to become the game show's full-time host, per Entertainment Tonight.