Jeopardy! has done its best to continue on without its longtime host Alex Trebek, who died last November following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
The 80-year-old hosted the iconic trivia game show until the very end, with his final episode airing posthumously Jan. 8. Jeopardy! has welcomed a range of guest hosts to carry forward Season 37, such as Ken Jennings, Katie Couric, Aaron Rodgers and Anderson Cooper.
Wednesday, the season's final group of guest hosts was announced:
We can finally tell you! Here is the final group of guest hosts to close out Season 37:
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) April 21, 2021
• Robin Roberts
• George Stephanopoulos
• David Faber
• Joe Buck
• LeVar Burton!https://t.co/iAPNyy29pu pic.twitter.com/Twgef7i6b5
Fans had been a clamoring for Burton, known for hosting children's series Reading Rainbow, and went so far as to start a petition earlier last fall:
Even if nothing comes from it, I can’t tell how much how I appreciate all y’alls love and support! ♥️
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) November 12, 2020
Petition · Make LeVar Burton the next host of Jeopardy! · https://t.co/60lC1WCD61 https://t.co/QFxedpuWpU
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) April 7, 2021
"THANK YOU... to all y’all for your passionate support!" Burton tweeted Wednesday, thanking the petition's organizer in a separate tweet. "I am overjoyed, excited, and eager to be guest-hosting Jeopardy!, and will do my utmost best to live up to your faith you in me. YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE! Go ahead and take my word for it, this time."
Cooper's tenure as guest host will run through April 30 before 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker takes over May 3. Burton's week will air at the end of July, and Season 37 will wrap with sports broadcaster Joe Buck Aug. 13. View the full schedule here.
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