Jeopardy! announces full lineup of fresh-faced contestants for first week of Season 41

JEOPARDY! has risen from its summer slumber with new episodes and a fresh batch of contestants to kickstart Season 41.

Here’s who will take to the stage from Monday, September 9, through Friday, September 13.

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Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have their big season premieres tonight.

While game show fans are looking to see how Ryan Seacrest does on WoF, viewers are also in for a buzzworthy week on Jeopardy!.

Instead of tournaments like the last two seasons, Season 41 begins with regular-style shows until early 2025.

These players, like those during the last four months of Season 40, compete to qualify for the 2025 Tournament of Champions.

It’s also technically Ken Jennings’ debut as sole host, as it’s his first season premiere without Mayim Bialik as co-host.

Without further ado, Jeopardy.com updated its Contestant Zone on Monday to unveil the competitors for the first week of Season 41.

Here’s who is competing and their headshots, hometowns, and occupations:

WEEK 1 CONTESTANTS

Monday, September 9: Rachel Bradley, the one-day champion when Season 40 ended for annual summer reruns , returns to defend.

She faces Adam Reiffen and Amanda White Seattle.

Tuesday, September 10: The winner will face Mary Catherine French and Will Weiss (this may be impacted by the Presidential Debate ).

Wednesday, September 11: The winner will face Ben Gagne-Maynard and Kristen Robinson.

Thursday, September 12: The winner will face Mark Palmere and Bethany Korp.

Friday, September 13: The winner will face Evan Suttell and Hilary Glazer.

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FANS REACT: ‘WE’RE BACK!’

Fans took to a Reddit thread upon the announcement, celebrating the return of fresh faces and new episodes.

“Hello, We’re Back department? I’d like to file a claim,” one user wrote.

“Welcome back, everyone!!” wrote another.

“LFG! (Let’s have Fun Games),” wrote a third.

“Six weeks have gone by really fast!” remarked a fourth.

RARE BTS VIDEO

Jeopardy! also posted a behind-the-scenes look at the season premiere on Instagram to hype fans up [see above].

The rare multicam video showed what the producers see while taping.

The nine-screen system shows each camera, including one for each contestant, the clue board, the stage, and a title card.

The video had producer Sarah Foss say the intros instead of legendary announcer Johnny Gilbert , 96, (who records them later from his home studio.)

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Fans also loved the rare glimpse behind the curtain and shared their thoughts under the video.

“I don’t know why this made me emotional but I definitely teared up. Can’t wait for tonight’s show!” one Instagram user commented.

“Interesting. This show was recorded on May 30th (mentioned in the video). The season 40 finale was taped on May 29. So the returning champion did NOT get six weeks off, but in reality, one day,” remarked another.

“I always was curious how the magic happened,” wrote a third.

“Can’t wait!! My favorite game show is back!!!” wrote a fourth.

GET CLUED IN ON SEASON 41

Season 41 of Jeopardy! will last 11 months, airing every weeknight (even holidays) from tonight until Friday, July 25, 2025.

Former champion Ken hosted the entire previous season, but Mayim was still technically an official co-host.

After a lengthy hiatus, the actress was dismissed from the syndicated series in December 2023.

However, she was still listed on the show’s website, that is, until this summer.

Her exit from the entire franchise was confirmed when producers erased the last traces of her from their website.

Meanwhile, fans with “tournament fatigue” can rest easy because Season 41 will emphasize new players.

Unlike the previous season, Season 41 primarily consists of the tried-and-true format.

The season will begin with regular-style games of brand-new contestants- not tournaments.

The 2025 Tournament of Champions (preceded by the Second Chance Competition and Champions Wildcard and followed by the JIT ) will be held in winter, midway through Season 41.

In other words, fans will see fresh faces instead of past players for the first and last chunks of the season.

Celebrity Jeopardy! Season 3 also airs in the winter, not the fall like the past two years (Ken has not been confirmed as host).

Jeopardy! 2025 Tournament of Champions

Jeopardy!'s next Tournament of Champions will take place this winter, midway through Season 41 (exact airdate TBA) and it's shaping up to be another showstopper. Here's who is officially eligible so far:

• Adriana Harmeyer (15 wins and $349,600 total)
• Isaac Hirsch (nine wins and $215,390)
• Survivor alum Drew Basile (seven wins and $129,601)
• Alison Betts (5 wins and $121,500)
• Dr. Amy Hummel (5 wins and $100,994)
• Lisa Ann Walter (winner of Celebrity Jeopardy! 2024)
• Grant DeYoung (four wins and $81,203)
• Amar Kakirde (four wins and $55,899)

The prize for winning the ToC is $250,000 and a coveted slot in Jeopardy! Masters.

Jeopardy.com notes: “All 4-time and over winning players starting from 04/10/24 will be eligible for a future Tournament of Champions.”

“Presence on this list does NOT guarantee an invitation to compete. Other eligibility rules apply and final selection is up to the producers’ sole discretion.”

Other changes this season include a future move to streaming and the addition Pop Culture Jeopardy! hosted by Colin Jost on Amazon Prime Video (premiere date TBA).

Analyst Michael Harris is also going to be a potential new co-host on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast (there was no new episode this week, fans spotted).

However, the set, gameplay, and other treasured traditions will remain the same – for now.

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