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Ken Jennings has been getting rave reviews as the relatively new co-host of the famous NBC game show, Jeopardy! He shares the hosting duties with The Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik, something which he admits he was originally circumspect about. He has since come around to the idea, though, and now says that it feels “natural.”
Jennings is definitely not new to the world of Jeopardy! Before landing the opportunity to host the show, he made history for the longest winning streak on the game show, with 74 consecutive wins. His total spoils from the series totaled to $4,522,700, but the Washington native also proved his prowess by winning cash prizes in multiple other game shows.
Jennings’ history of success on Jeopardy! gave him a special connection to previous host Alex Trebek. This relationship placed him in good stead to step into the shoes of his friend, who passed away in November 2020 after a battle with cancer. Bialik and Jennings were officially announced as the new co-hosts in July 2022, with the pair reportedly keen to carry on the legacy of their predecessor.
Despite his notoriety as a serial game show winner, Jennings’ personal life hasn’t always been a very open book.
10/10 Who Was Ken Jennings Before His Streak On Jeopardy!?
Ken Jennings kick-started his incredible winning streak on Jeopardy in 2003, at the age of 29. The winning run came to an end in November 2004, when he lost out to challenger Nancy Zerg.
Before all this, Jennings had worked as a software engineer for a healthcare-placement firm called CHG in Holladay, Utah.
9/10 Where Did Ken Jennings Grow Up?
Ken Jennings was born in May 1974 in Edmonds, Washington. His life growing up was very kinetic, however, as his family spent a lot of time abroad.
Jennings’ father worked as an international lawyer, which meant that the future TV star got to spend most of his childhood in Singapore and South Korea.
Ken Jennings’ most prominent social media profile is on Twitter. He has nearly half a million followers on the platform, with whom he often shares updates on the show and other things.
Jennings does not appear to have an official Instagram profile.
7/10 Is Ken Jennings Religious?
Ken Jennings was raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a faith which he still practices today.
For two years after he turned 20, Jennings worked as a missionary for the church in Madrid, after which he enrolled in Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
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6/10 How Much Does Ken Jennings Earn Per Episode On Jeopardy!?
Alex Trebek was said to have been earning a handsome payday, of $10 million per season on Jeopardy! before his tragic passing in 2020.
Details of Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik’s exact salaries as the new hosts are not yet apparent. One report suggested that Jennings receives $75,000 per episode, an amount which would top Trebek’s reported salary.
5/10 What Is Ken Jennings’ Current Net Worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ken Jennings currently enjoys a net worth of $4 million. No doubt a significant chunk of this would have come out of his previous winnings on Jeopardy! and other game shows.
As the host, he is likely to see that value skyrocket in the coming years.
As well as his work on television, Ken Jennings is a multiple times published author. In 2006, his book Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs was released, about his experiences on Jeopardy!
Since then Jennings has also written Ken Jennings’ Trivia Almanac: 8,888 Questions in 365 Days, Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks, Because I Said So! and a number of children’s books.
3/10 Ken Jennings Also Co-Hosts The Omnibus Podcast
Another endeavor under Ken Jennings’ belt is the Omnibus podcast by HowStuffWorks, which he has co-hosted alongside John Roderick since September 2017. The pair basically seek out and discuss topics that they deem might be lost to history.
Omnibus reached its 500th episode in September 2022.
2/10 Ken Jennings Was Once Asked To Run For U.S. Senator
Ken Jennings held an “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit in March 2011. In the conversation, he claimed that seven years prior, he had been approached by party leaders to run for office.
Jennings was reportedly encouraged to compete for the United States Senate seat from Utah. He declined.
1/10 Inside Ken Jennings’ Family Life
Ken Jennings got married to preschool teacher Mindy Boam in 2000. Together, they have two children. Their son Dylan was born in November 2002. His sister Caitlin arrived almost exactly four years later.
Jennings’ two decade-long marriage is the only one of his life so far.
