It’s the No. 2-rated syndicated game show behind ”Family Feud“
“Jeopardy!” has been the third highest-rated syndicated television series in what will be known as Alex Trebek’s final season. The Sony series, which airs on ABC stations, is currently the second highest-rated syndicated game show on TV.
With a 4.9 Live + Same Day national Nielsen rating through the session ending Oct. 25, 2020, “Jeopardy!” sits behind just “Judge Judy” (a 5.5) and “Family Feud” (5.3). That means “Jeopardy!” is ahead of rival “Wheel for Fortune” for the current season.
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Compared to the same time last year, “Jeopardy!” is down 16% in rating. That said, pretty much everything in syndication is down from the 2019-20 season.
Also Read: Alex Trebek, Longtime 'Jeopardy!' Host, Dies at 80
Trebek passed away Sunday following a battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Jean, and children Matthew, Emily, and Nicky.
“This is an enormous loss for the ‘Jeopardy!’ staff, crew and all of Alex’s millions of fans,” Mike Richards, “Jeopardy” executive producer, said in a statement on Sunday. “He was a legend of the industry that we were all lucky to watch night after night for 37 years. Working beside him for the past year and a half as he heroically continued to host ‘Jeopardy!’ was an incredible honor. His belief in the importance of the show and his willingness to push himself to perform at the highest level was the most inspiring demonstration of courage I have ever seen. His constant desire to learn, his kindness, and his professionalism will be with all of us forever.”
“Today we lost a legend and a beloved member of the Sony Pictures family,” added Tony Vinciquerra, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “For 37 amazing years, Alex was that comforting voice, that moment of escape and entertainment at the end of a long, hard day for millions of people around the world. He was the heart and soul of ‘Jeopardy!’ and he will be deeply missed by everyone who made him part of their lives. Our hearts go out to Jean, Matthew, Emily, and Nicky.”
Also Read: Alex Trebek Mourned by Hollywood: 'The Answer Is Thank You'
“We join our colleagues at Sony Pictures in mourning the passing of Alex Trebek,” Kenichiro Yoshida, chairman, president and CEO of Sony Corporation said. “Alex was an extraordinary talent whose intelligence, wit and comforting presence appealed to millions of people around the world and made ‘Jeopardy!’ the outstanding show it is today.”
Trebek’s final “Jeopardy!” episode will air on Christmas Day. He last taped episodes on Oct. 29.
The show is not announcing plans for a new host at this time, though it is worth pointing out here that Ken Jennings, probably the most famous “Jeopardy!” champion in history, joined the show as a consulting producer this season.
Alex Trebek: 9 Things You Didn't Know About the 'Jeopardy!' Host (Photos)
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Trebek, his wife Jean, and his son Matt, courtesy of "Who Is Alex Trebek? A Biography" by Lisa Rogak
"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek passed away on Nov. 8 and left behind an amazing legacy. We've compiled a list of nine interesting things you probably didn't know about the longtime television personality from a new biography written by Lisa Rogak called "Who Is Alex Trebek?" out now from Macmillan Publishers.
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Alex Trebek in 1984 (Photo by Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
He was a troublemaker in his youth
In his teen years, Trebek was sent to a Catholic boarding school after his parents separated. There, he was nearly expelled over disagreements with one of his teachers.
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A Trappist monk / Getty
He nearly became a priest
In college, Trebek considered becoming a priest and went so far as to spend a summer at a Trappist monastery. But it was the vow of silence that changed his mind. He later said, “I’m not one to keep my big mouth shut.”
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Felix from "The Odd Couple" / ABC
He's a clean-freak
After quitting his job of 12 years at the CBC, he moved to Los Angeles. There he found a roommate in "Growing Pains" actor Alan Thicke, who compared living with Trebek to Felix, the neat-freak character on the sitcom "The Odd Couple."
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He went through a rough divorce
Trebek's first marriage lasted seven years and ended in 1981. He later admitted that he lived “like a very depressed monk,” spending most nights watching TV with a bucket of fried chicken and a bottle of white wine.
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Lucille Ball helped him land "Jeopardy!"
The "I Love Lucy" star was a big fan of "High Rollers," the game show Trebek hosted previously. She told her friend, producer Merv Griffin, to consider hiring him when they decided to resurrect "Jeopardy!"
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He named his cat Sleaze Bucket
Trebek is an animal lover, but when it comes to names, he doesn't hold back. He had a dog named Spammer, two rescue cats named Winger Dinger and Sleaze Bucket (A.K.A. Sleazy) and another cat named Safety Puce.
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Pillsbury Bake-Off promo / CBS
Ladies love him
A woman at a book signing once gifted him a cupcake topped with a pair of breasts made out of frosting. And during the days when he hosted the Pillsbury Bake-Off, a contestant once asked the judges, “Is Alex here yet, and do you know his room number?”
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He swears like a sailor
Known for his proclivity for profanity, Trebek has let more than a few f-bombs fly over the years. During a 2014 radio interview with Dan Patrick, Trebek was informed that they were operating on a profanity delay. “I’m worried about your language,” Patrick said at the time.
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He's a Luddite
“I don’t text, I don’t access the Internet, I don’t blog, I don’t tweet,” Trebek has said. He only uses his cell phone to make calls, but he's not a fan of social media. “Everyone has their face buried in their phones,” he continued, according to Rogak. “Why is it important to know what I did this morning and convey that to other people?”
Fun fact: He briefly considered becoming a priest during his college years
"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek passed away on Nov. 8 and left behind an amazing legacy. We've compiled a list of nine interesting things you probably didn't know about the longtime television personality from a new biography written by Lisa Rogak called "Who Is Alex Trebek?" out now from Macmillan Publishers.
Tony Maglio
TV Editor • tony.maglio@thewrap.com • Twitter: @tonymaglio