Kenneth Wayne Jennings III is an American game show host, former contestant, and author. He is best known for his work on the syndicated quiz show Jeopardy! as a contestant and later its host. Jennings was born in Seattle, Washington but grew up in South Korea and Singapore. He worked as a computer programmer before he tried out for Jeopardy! in 2004. During his initial run, Jennings secured a consecutive 74 wins, setting records and bringing significant media attention and viewership.
Afterwards, Jennings pursued a career as an author, writing about his experience and exploring American trivia history and culture in a series of best-selling books. He also appeared on other game shows, including The Chase, and hosted the Omnibus podcast. He returned to Jeopardy! in 2020 as a producer, and later guest-hosted the program after the death of host Alex Trebek the same year. He split full-time hosting duties initially with actress Mayim Bialik until 2023, when he was made the sole host.
Jennings holds numerous game show records: he is the highest-earning American game show contestant, having won money on five different programs, including $4,522,700 on Jeopardy!. His original appearance on the program marks the longest winning streak, and he also holds the record for the highest average correct responses per game. Additionally, Jennings was awarded the first-place prize in Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time (2020).