WASHINGTON — Ken Jennings is set to replace Mayim Bialik as the host of "Celebrity Jeopardy!" this fall.
Bialik, who shares "Jeopardy!" co-hosting duties with Jennings, was the sole host of the primetime spin-off's first season. The ABC show features Hollywood stars competing for a chance to win money for charity.
Sources told multiple media outlets, including Variety, that Bialik has declined to host the second season to support the ongoing Hollywood writers' and actors' strike. When ABC issued a press release on Monday with changes to their fall schedule, the network noted Jennings would be hosting "Celebrity Jeopardy!," which premieres Sept. 27.
Bialik first stepped back from co-hosting daytime "Jeopardy!" when the writers' strike began toward the end of Season 39. It's believed that Jennings will take the lead on hosting that as well when the show's 40th season begins.
Showrunner Michael Davies revealed earlier this month that the second season of "Celebrity Jeopardy!" was fully written before the strike and will use all original material. However, the game show's daytime version will use both recycled material and past contestants.
“I believe, principally, that it would not be fair to have new contestants making their first appearance on the Alex Trebek Stage doing it with non-original material,” Davies said. "We’re going to open the season with a second chance tournament for players from Season 37 who lost their initial game, and winners from that will advance to a Season 37 and Season 38 Champions Wildcard.”
While the upcoming season will have some new material that was written before the strike, it will also feature "re-deployed" material from previous seasons.
Earlier this month, Jennings fired back at criticism that he was crossing picket lines by continuing to host the game show. In response, Jennings shared a statement that noted the late Alex Trebek continued to host new episodes of "Jeopardy!" during the 2007-2008 strike.