ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / NEWS

'Jeopardy’ host Ken Jennings takes a subtle dig at 'Wheel of Fortune' off camera: "They'd gone..."

While their shows are constantly competing, the two haven't expressed anything against each other.
PUBLISHED FEB 26, 2025
Screenshots showing Seacrest, Vanna and Jennings on respective shows (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!)
Screenshots showing Seacrest, Vanna and Jennings on respective shows (Cover image source: YouTube | Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!)

"Jeopardy!" and "The Wheel Of Fortune" are two of the most popular game shows on American television and compete to get the attention of the same kind of audience with similar puzzles. Both hosts now have relatively new hosts, since Ken Jennings took the reins of "Jeopardy!" after Alex Trebek's death in 2020, while Ryan Seacrest became "Wheel of Fortune" host in 2024. Although the two could be considered rivals, a report from The U.S. Sun suggests that there's no bad blood between them. In fact Jennings even laughs about the competition between the shows.

Screenshot showing Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! (Image source: YouTube/Jeopardy!)
Screenshot showing Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! (Image source: YouTube/Jeopardy!)

The report mentioned how the two shows are neck and neck in the fight for viewership with "Wheel of Fortune" in the lead. One of the reasons for its popularity is its young host, Seacrest, who took over after Sajak's retirement in 2024.

Screenshot showing Seacrest revealing the prize
Screenshot showing Seacrest revealing the prize (Image source: YouTube/The Wheel of Fortune)

The Sun reported that the show surged past "Jeopardy!" by over 1 million when Seacrest took over, while Jennings is said to be struggling to keep up after taking over as the sole host of "Jeopardy!" However, an insider told The U.S. Sun that Jennings isn't afraid of joking about it. "After a recent taping, Ken asked the live audience if they enjoyed their time at the show, before asking if any of them wished they'd gone to see "Wheel of Fortune" instead. The crowd erupted in laughter and seemed to appreciate him making fun of the rivalry and not taking it so seriously," the source shared with the publication. 



 

The insider further added that Jennings is "very humble", and really kind to everyone on set. "It seems the role hasn't gone to his head. There's no ego about him at all," the source said adding that Jennings seems to be settling well on the Alex Trebek stage. However, he may still be getting heat from bosses after "Wheel of Fortune" took the top spot recently in the ratings chart. 

Jennings initially started hosting the show alongside "The Big Bang Theory's" Mayim Bialik. However, she was let go from the show in 2023 as producers allegedly wanted more consistency. Around the same time, Seacrest with more star power than Jennings, replaced Sajak on "Wheel of Fortune." Just weeks after his debut, the game show got 7.99 million total viewers, marking its best premiere month in three years, NBC reported.

"Ryan is bringing a sense of youth and urgency to the job that is a lot harder to pull off than it looks," a TV source previously told The U.S. Sun. 



 

On the other hand, Jennings is under pressure as he still has no long-term contract to host the show, despite proving his commitment. "Jeopardy! is Ken's religion; he lives it, and he breathes it, and despite all the outside pressures, he's not going to mess this up," the insider claimed. The source further added that Jennings was even ready to take a pay cut to stay on the show for the long run. 

"He's proud to have worked his way into this position and believes he has what it takes to make it last for decades to come," the insider added.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Former players and audience members shared how the show deals with controversial statements.
36 minutes ago
Fans were divided on whether Adam Wredberg's Bonus Round puzzle was solvable or not.
2 hours ago
The lucky win delighted the fans as the contestant, Sunita Baru took home more than $50,000.
1 day ago
Chris and Jeanie Rodgers didn't just beat up the zombie on the show, but also had him present their product to the judges.
1 day ago
Fans on Reddit complained complained that some games are either overly difficult by design or favor only physically fit contestants.
1 day ago
Contestant Joey Sweet took the loss in stride, but the show's viewers weren't happy with the puzzle selection.
2 days ago
A lot of things on set were put to the test during the "Is it real or is it cake?" challenge, including the host.
2 days ago
Fans were left disappointed after the contestant, Alicia Slagle, failed to guess an easy phrase in the finale.
2 days ago
Jackie Fakhoury was also joined by her husband and son in celebration on stage.
3 days ago
The guest had no idea that her $30 ring was studded with diamonds and made of platinum.
3 days ago
In a rare event, Harrison didn't haggle the seller as he knew he had to make a deal for he coin.
3 days ago
The Bobek family, who came dressed in Polish Highlander attire, had the host grooving to their tunes.
4 days ago
Contestant Marie-Eve Augier’s smart letter choices turned the puzzle into an easy solve.
4 days ago
The Sharks felt that the founder of Besomebody didn't have the "capacity to listen."
5 days ago
Jennings shared how Trebek showed great resillience and showmanship during his last days on the show.
5 days ago
The contestant, Staci Urban put up a great show to win over $60,000 in one night.
5 days ago
The TikToker warned fellow shoppers about the risks of infection from the salmon.
6 days ago
With four sharks eager to invest, the founder of Kinfield knew how to get two of them to team up.
6 days ago
Shanquetta Cato, who participated in the 'Teacher's Week' did 'not get lucky' on the show.
6 days ago