It’s been over 25 years since Jeopardy! had a dedicated edition on the air in the United Kingdom. In the 1980s and 1990s, three different iterations of the show aired overseas, with the last one coming to an end in 1996. Now, it’s set to return on ITV — and the host will be writer and actor Stephen Fry.
As potential Jeopardy! hosts go, Fry seems like a fine choice. He’s been an on-screen presence since the 1980s, when his work with Hugh Laurie made both men famous. Fry went on to act in projects ranging from Gosford Park to The Sandman, adapted an Evelyn Waugh novel for the screen and has written a number of acclaimed books. In other words, he combines onscreen charisma and a general sense of knowing a lot of things — both essential qualities for a Jeopardy! host.
As The Hollywood Reporter‘s article on the series notes, Stephen Fry is himself a fan of the game show. “Whenever I’m in America, I do my damnedest to catch it every weekday,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “The idea of hosting it here in the U.K. makes me dizzy with delight.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Fry described Jeopardy! as “a phenomenon like no other.”
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From the novels of PG Wodehouse to “The Fresh Prince,” the man who is quietly working in the background always knows more than he lets onThe U.K. version of the show is set to begin airing this fall, with each episode clocking in at an hour in length. Reportedly, this edition will feature an extra round of play, which could make for an interesting spin on things. We eagerly await the inevitable Intercontinental Tournament of Champions.
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