Stephen Fry to host UK version of Jeopardy!
Popular American trivia challenge will come to the UK later this year
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Stephen Fry will host a UK version of the popular American game show, Jeopardy!, it has been announced.
Having run in the States since 1964, the trivia challenge is known for its unique concept of revealing the answers before the questions.
Contestants on Jeopardy! hear clues before then buzzing in with the correct corresponding question.
Successful participants have the opportunity to win a large cash prize, and winners of each show continue a streak on the programme until dethroned by another contestant.
ITV announced on Monday (27 February) that the show would receive a UK refashion, complete with an extra round.
In a statement, Fry spoke of his delight at his new role and the prospect of bringing the programme to a UK audience.
He said: “In the United States, Jeopardy! is a phenomenon like no other. Whenever I’m in America, I do my damnedest to catch it every weekday.
“The idea of hosting it here in the UK makes me dizzy with delight. Such a dedicated quizzing nation as ours will, I hope, welcome this uniquely beguiling and endlessly rewarding game.”
Though Jeopardy! first came to US screens in the 1960s, its current daily iteration has been in place since 1984.
Alex Trebek hosted the show for more than 35 years, ending with his death from pancreatic cancer in 2020. His final episode aired on 8 January 2021.
Currently, the show is led by former contestant Ken Jennings and The Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik.
Jennings competed in 2004 and still holds the record for the longest winning streak in Jeopardy! history, winning 74 games in a row and pocketing $4,522,700 in the process.
The forthcoming UK series will have 20 episodes and will allow participants to play an additional round compared to the original format, increasing the stakes for the players.
Jeopardy! begins this Autumn on ITV1 & ITVX.
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