'Jeopardy!' picks Ken Jennings to replace Alex Trebek as guest host

"Jeopardy!" producers announced on Monday that former contestant Ken Jennings will be the first interim host and that production will resume on Nov. 30.

The game show will resume filming with a series of interim hosts following the death of Alex Trebek. The 46-year-old Jennings, who holds the title for "Greatest of All Time" in a competition held last year and who won 74 games in a row, will lead the show upon its return. He will host episodes that will air in January.

The show shared this news on Twitter along with a message from "Jeopardy!" Executive Producer Mike Richards.

"Alex believed in the importance of Jeopardy! and always said that he wanted the show to go on after him. We will honour his legacy by continuing to produce the game he loved," he said.

In response, Jennings expressed his gratitude as he wrote, "There will only be ever one Alex Trebek, but I'm honoured to be helping Jeopardy! out with this in January.

Fans of the show are divided on this decision with a few who think that Jennings make a good guest host and wished him to become permanent.

"The only problem I have with this news is the term 'interim.' When Alex passed, you were the only person I thought of who could even attempt to fill his shoes. I hope interim eventually turns to permanent. Good luck!" one fan wrote.

"Congratulations, Ken. I think you were a good choice and I hope you'll have some of your co-contestants back on the show as sun-moderators when you're away or as guest moderators," another commented.

Meanwhile, there are also those who think he is "smug." He may be a master in "Jeopardy!" but "terrible choice" as host.

"Ken Jennings is a masterful Jeopardy player, but a terrible choice as host. His smug attitude is not right for a host. Please keep him only as an interim and for as short a time as possible," one netizen commented.

Another tweeted that going with Jennings "is a big mistake" and hoped that he "can get through his episodes without having a giggling fit at the thought of Rand Paul's death."

The producers have yet to name a permanent replacement for "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek, who died from pancreatic cancer earlier this month. In his honour, the show will air ten of his best episodes in the weeks of 12/21 and 12/28 and his final week of hosting starting 1/4.