Longtime network news star Katie Couric has been signed to the reins of ‘Jeopardy!’ Take over according to a number of people familiar with the plan for a week.
Couric will be one of the first hosts to put the iconic match program at the helm of affairs after the last installments with Alex Trebek, which has been going on for a long time, aired this week. Trebek, who died on November 8 after struggling with pancreatic cancer, recorded the programs in October.
Couric declined to comment on the question of the discussion and whether she is interested in being Trebek’s full-time successor. A representative of Sony Pictures Television, which ‘Jeopardy! ‘Made, also did not want to comment.
The producers of “Jeopardy!” previously voiced their plans to host the final Trebek episodes until a permanent replacement is selected. “Danger!” champion Ken Jennings, who has an overall deal with Sony, was also discussed to handle the program. Episodes with Jennings as host are set to air from January 11th.
The host presenters are likely to play a role in determining who is the successor to Trebek, who has chosen the syndicated version of the program since its launch in 1984.
Couric (63) is one of the most famous personalities of television, thanks to her successful success as co-anchor of NBC’s morning news franchise “Today”. The program was No. 1 in the ratings for most of her series from 1991 to 2006.
She spent five years as an anchor for CBS Evening News. She presented a syndicated talk show for the Walt Disney Co. and was a correspondent for ABC News.
In recent years, Couric has run her own media company producing documentaries, podcasts and a daily newsletter.