Who Is Ken Jennings? Meet Jeopardy!’s Iconic Host

In the years since his historic run on Jeopardy!, Ken Jennings has continued to captivate audiences with his intelligence and humor as host. Since its debut on NBC on March 30, 1964, Jeopardy! might have changed networks several times, but it has enjoyed a growing, dedicated audience across several generations. With 41 seasons since its debut, Jeopardy! is one of television’s longest-running reality game shows.

Besides being a contestant, Ken Jennings has hosted Jeopardy! since 2021. Although he initially co-hosted the show with actress Mayim Bialik on a rotating basis for two years, Jennings has been Jeopardy! ‘s sole host since 2023. While he has become a sensation on American television, little is known about Jennings’ personal life and career rise. Here are interesting things you probably didn’t know about Ken Jennings. 

Ken Jennings Grew Up Overseas

The game show host was born Kenneth Wayne Jennings III in Edmonds, Washington, on May 23, 1974. However, he spent part of his childhood in South Korea and Singapore. His father was an international lawyer, while his mother worked as a school teacher for the Department of Defense. As a result of his father’s work, the family moved to Asia, first to South Korea, and later to Singapore. Jennings and his family spent 15 years outside the United States, with the young Jennings attending and graduating from Seoul Foreign School. Jennings credits his global upbringing with shaping his curiosity about the world. He later returned to the United States and attended the University of Washington, Seattle.

Ken Jennings is a Devout Mormon

Besides being a teetotaler, Ken Jennings is a devout Mormon. He’s a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his younger years, he served as a volunteer missionary for two years in Madrid, Spain. Jennings has often spoken publicly about his faith and how it influences his perspective on life and learning. To date, he remains a devout, practicing Mormon and lives with his family in Seattle.

He Was a Member of the Quizbowl Team at the University

Ken Jennings’ 74-day winning streak on Jeopardy! was far from sheer luck. While at Brigham Young University (BYU), having transferred after his missionary service in Spain, Jennings joined BYU’s quizbowl, eventually becoming the team’s captain. The exposure and love for trivia later pushed him to write and edit quiz questions for the National Academic Quiz Tournaments. Interestingly, his desire to audition for Jeopardy! was after seeing several of his old quizbowl teammates appear in other top TV game shows like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Ken Jennings Was a Software Engineer Before Jeopardy! Fame

Before Ken Jennings became a household name, he was a software engineer in Salt Lake City. While at BYU, Jennings studied English and software engineering, graduating with a double major. Immediately after graduation, he moved to Salt Lake City, where he began working for CHG Healthcare Services, a healthcare-placement firm. While working with CHG, he began preparing to audition for Jeopardy! in 2003. Also, he was still a software engineer when he received the call that his audition was successful in 2004. By the end of the year, with over 2,700 questions answered correctly, Jennings had become a household name, thanks to his record run on Jeopardy!

Ken Jennings Has Authored More Than a Dozen Books

Continuing his genius path, Ken Jennings became a best-selling author post-Jeopardy! As of 2024, Jennings has authored fourteen books. His books include Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs (2006), Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks (2011), and Because I Said So! The Truth Behind the Myths, Tales, and Warnings Every Generation Passes Down to Its Kids (2012) mixes trivia, history, humor, and parenting guides. He also penned several children’s books on Junior Genius Guides.

Ken Jennings is One of American Television’s Highest-earning Contestants

Ken Jennings’ 74-day streak on Jeopardy! earned him a record $2,522,700. Having appeared on Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time, Jennings’ cumulative win on Jeopardy! is $4,522,700, after winning the special tournament’s $1,000,000. He has also appeared on several other reality game shows. Jennings won $500,000 on Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, $100,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and $100,000 on Grand Slam. He also appeared on a Celebrity Wheel of Fortune special and won $72,800. His least win was $714.29 on the 1 vs. 100 game show.