‘Jeopardy!’ Season 40 Big Changes – All the Details

Martin Holmes August 31, 2023, 8:05 am

Jeopardy!, Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik — Jeopardy!, Inc.

Jeopardy! is almost back for its landmark 40th season. But the beloved show is undergoing significant changes, including new tournaments, a switch of host, significant prize money increases, and much more.

Below is everything that has been announced about the upcoming Jeopardy! season, plus all the latest from behind-the-scenes.

When Does Season 40 Premiere?

The monumental 40th season premieres on Monday, September 11, 2023, and will run until July 26, 2024.

Who is Hosting?

Ken Jennings will be hosting Season 40, which began filming on August 15, 2023. This comes amid the ongoing WGA and SAG strikes, which caused fellow host Mayim Bialik to step away from the show in solidarity with the strikers.

Bialik is said to have had talks with the show’s bosses, who are supportive of her situation and are keen for her to return when the strikes are over. Meanwhile, Jennings has faced backlash from some fans and former players for his decision to cross the picket line.

What is the Season 40 Format?

Showrunner Michael Davies announced earlier this month that Season 40 will use recycled material and material written before the strikes. The season will also use past contestants, kicking off with a Second Chance tournament featuring players from Season 37.

This will be followed by a brand new tournament, the Champions Wild Card, which will pit the winners of the Second Chance series against Season 38 champions.

Details of what will happen beyond the Champions Wild Card are not yet known, but it was previously said there will be no new contestants until the strikes are resolved.

“I believe, principally, that it would not be fair to have new contestants making their first appearance on the Alex Trebek stage, doing it with non-original material or … a combination of non-original material and material that was written pre-strike,” Davies explained on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast.

Will There Be a 2023 Tournament of Champions?

A 2023 TOC is happening, but not until the strikes are over. Several Season 39 champs, including Ray LaLonde, Cris Pannullo, Hannah Wilson, and Ben Chan, have said they would not participate in the TOC until the strikes are concluded.

Fans are hoping the strikes are resolved soon so they can enjoy the new TOC and landmark 40th season, which was meant to be a huge celebration for the beloved game show.

Is There a Prize Money Increase?

Yes, starting in Season 40, consolation prizes for the second and third place finishers will be increased from the standard $1,000. The contestant who finishes second will receive $3,000, and the player in third will receive $2,000.

This comes after Season 39 champ Ben Goldstein complained about the show not covering players’ travel and hotel expenses.

“Interesting discussion of the ‘Why doesn’t #Jeopardy pay airfare and accommodations’ question here,” Goldstein tweeted. “Personally, I think covering travel/lodging would make the show more accessible to a wider range of contestants. Not everyone can afford a trip to LA with no guarantee of payback.”

Many fans agreed with Goldstein, with one viewer tweeting, “At the *very least*, consolation prizes should be increased, to offset the costs of travel/lodging. It’s kinda disappointing seeing people play well into the 5-figure range and then drop to $1,000 or $2,000 after Final.”

Is Celebrity Jeopardy! Returning?

Celebrity Jeopardy is also back next month, premiering on September 27, and will look slightly different. The first season was hosted by Bialik, who will be replaced by Jennings for the upcoming season due to the ongoing strikes. Episodes have already been recorded, but given the actors’ strike it’s not known at this stage who is competing.

A new poster for Celebrity Jeopardy!‘s second season was released earlier this week, featuring the Jeopardy! GOAT front and center.