A new game of Jeopardy! will commence this month.
According to TV Line, the beloved gameshow, which was forced to go on a three-month hiatus due to COVID-19, will return to the air Monday, September 14.
“I feel good, and I feel excited because once again Jeopardy! has demonstrated that it’s at the forefront of television programming,” host Alex Trebek said of the return date.
“I believe we are the first quiz show to come back on the air in the COVID-19 era.”
“On a personal level, I’m excited because it gets me out of the house. It gives me something to do on a regular basis, and I was missing that.”
The series suspended production in March around the time most productions halted due to the pandemic.
New episodes were exhausted in June, meaning the show has been replaced with encores since.
The series did return to production earlier this summer, with some big changes, including the stage being redesigned to allow for more space betweent he contestants.
“Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are returning to the studio to tape episodes for the shows’ upcoming seasons,” a statement from the studio read at the time.
“The productions have protocols in place in accordance with current government guidelines to protect contestants, staff, crew and talent from the spread of COVID-19.”
“While some things may have changed behind the scenes and on the set to keep everyone safe, fans can expect to see the same Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! they have come to love when the season starts.”
The return date announcement dropped alongside the news that Jeopardy! G.O.A.T. Ken Jennings will be joining the series as a consulting producer.
Under this role, Jennings will “present his own special video categories, develop projects, assist with contestant outreach, and serve as a general ambassador for the show.”
Pretty cool, right?
TV shows have slowly been returning to production, with Tyler Perry hits Sistas and The Oval leading the way.
If we look at primetime, there will be no typical fall season, with many shows looking at early 2021 returns.
What are your thoughts on this news?
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.