Ken Jennings landed 'Celebrity Jeopardy!' hosting role as Sony found him to be their 'cheapest option'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ken Jennings, the beloved 'Jeopardy!' champion, reportedly landed his hosting role on 'Celebrity Jeopardy!' Season 3 due to a key factor: he was a cheaper option compared to other potential hosts.

Sources revealed that while Jennings was thrilled to host the celebrity spin-off, Sony executives chose him because his salary was significantly lower than that of his predecessors or other well-known hosts.

Ken Jennings' low salary keeps 'Jeopardy!' costs down

“Ken is unquestionably the cheapest hosting option who fans actually know and like and who won’t ruin the show,” an insider shared. “That’s why he’s going to be in this role for a long time: He’s not going to lose this job over money, that’s for sure!”

Despite the lower salary, Jennings wasn’t upset about his pay. As per reports, Jennings has "been clear from the start that he's not driven by money as much as by a deep love for this game show that completely changed his life and made him world famous."

"That's an admirable position for him to take, but it also gives the bosses at Sony TV all the power when it comes to his job," the insider added.

Sony’s decision to keep costs low by selecting Jennings worked in their favor. As one source pointed out, "They know they can pay him a fraction of what they would have to pay a well-known celebrity, comedian, or even a professional game-show host."

The network's strategy centered on maintaining the profitability of the 'Jeopardy!' franchise.

“As for his hosting the celebrity edition of the show, sure, it meant a little more money for Ken, but the focus for Sony was to keep the overall franchise profitable,” the insider explained. “The more they used Ken, the more money they saved!”

Ken Jennings earns $4 million annually, still less than Alex Trebek

Ken Jennings, currently hosting both 'Celebrity Jeopardy!' and the original 'Jeopardy!', reportedly earns over $4 million annually for the shows. This salary is similar to that of Mayim Bialik, who was making the same amount for her hosting duties on the primetime version and other spin-offs.

However, with Mayim’s departure in December 2023, Jennings is expected to see an increase in his salary during upcoming contract negotiations.

Jennings is earning less than the $18 million a year Alex Trebek made before his death in November 2020, as per Radar Online.