Why Jeopardy!'s Alex Trebek Calls the All-Star Games "Frightening"

Hear from Julia Collins and Ken Jennings all about the new tournament

By Chris Harnick Feb 20, 2019 11:05 PMTags
Watch: "Jeopardy" Celebrates 35 Years With an "All-Star" Season

 Jeopardy! is celebrating 35 years on the air by doing something it's never done before: the All-Star Games. Yep, for the first time ever, Jeopardy! will be played in teams. The tournament kicks off on Wednesday, Feb. 20 and lasts 10 weekdays until March 5.

"It's going to be a lot of fun, but it's also very frightening," host Alex Trebek told E! News' Erin Lim on set of the long running game show.

Six teams of three will compete, with Ken Jennings, Brad Rutter, Julia Collins, Austin Rogers, Colby Burnett and Buzzy Cohen serving as captains. Their roster of players includes Leonard Cooper, Roger Craig, Jennifer Giles, Ben Ingram, Matt Jackson, Alex Jacob, Larissa Kelly, Alan Lin, David Madden, Pam Mueller, Monica Thieu, and Seth Wilson.

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"The logistics of trying it put it all together with 18 really talented competitors is daunting," Trebek said. "And it has caused me to worry a great deal because I am dealing with these players who have never had to compete as members of a team, so that brings a whole new dynamic to this."

In the video above, Trebek said he preps for the show by praying and continuously reviewing the day's material. "And then I come out to try and help the contestants do their very best so that they can win as much money as possible," he said.

As for his very divisive facial hair, you need to click play on the video above to hear about that straight from Trebek. E! News also got the lowdown on the new tournament from Collins and Jennings, including a tutorial on how to use the buzzer best.

Be sure to watch E! News for more behind-the-scenes secrets of Jeopardy! Check your local listings for when Jeopardy! airs.