Mayim Bialik won't be returning to host Jeopardy! for the show's 40th season amidst the ongoing acting and writing strike.

The Big Bang Theory and Call Me Kat star previously walked away from hosting the final week of season 39 in solidarity with the show's writers, who have been striking with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) since May. The WGA and the Screen Actors Guild are currently on strike after negotiations over fair pay, residuals and the use of AI broke down.

Former contestant and consulting producer Ken Jennings will host the upcoming season solo, according to Deadline.

Jennings had been sharing hosting responsibilities with Bialik following the death of Jeopardy!'s legendary presenter Alex Trebek, who had welcomed contestants to the studio for 36 years.

Tyler Golden

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Jeopardy!'s executive producer Michael Davies gave the announcement yesterday (September 11), after confusion arose as to whether Jennings would be flying solo for at least a portion of this season.

There isn't any word on whether Bialik will return, or when, but it seems likely she won't be coming back until the strike is resolved.

When Jeopardy! returns, it will feature previous contestants from season 37 in a 'second chance' competition.

Showrunner Michael Davies previously told TV Line that the new season will use a "combination of material that our WGA writers wrote before the strike, which is still in the database and material that is being redeployed from multiple, multiple seasons of the show".

In other strike news, Drew Barrymore has decided to go back to her eponymous chat show, facing backlash from others in the industry for not standing in solidarity with actors and writers.

The Never Been Kissed actress defended her move in a lengthy Instagram post, explaining that the show is "bigger than just me".

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"We are in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind. We launched live in a global pandemic. Our show was built for sensitive times and has only functioned through what the real world is going through in real time," she said in her post.

"I want to be there to provide what writers do so well, which is a way to bring us together or help us make sense of the human experience."

The WGA released a statement on Twitter/X in response, clarifying that "any writing on The Drew Barrymore Show is in violation of WGA strike rules".

The post continued: "The@DrewBarrymoreTV Show is a WGA covered, struck show that is planning to return without its writers. The Guild has, and will continue to, picket struck shows that are in production during the strike. Any writing on The Drew Barrymore Show is in violation of WGA strike rules."