24-04-2025
Jeopardy! contestant makes ITV show history after scooping huge jackpot – and one of daytime TV's biggest ever wins
A JEOPARDY! contestant has made history after scooping one of the daytime show's biggest ever wins.
The hit game show was rebooted last year by ITV bosses, launching with an impressive 2.5 million viewers.
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Jeopardy! challenges contestants to showcase their general knowledge, always phrasing their responses in the form of a question.
Players compete to stay in the game and accumulate winnings as they progress, with Stephen, 68, as their host.
During today's episode, viewers watched as hotel receptionist Ben Jones continued the game, competing against Jonathan and Rosemary.
From Caerphilly, Ben was already a nine-day reigning champion before his major win.
In the final round, host Stephen asked a question based on the category Classic 80s Films.
He said: "Matthew Broderick starred in the title role of the 1980s comedy film 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off', directed by this man."
Ben, 23, correctly answered: "Who is John Hughes?"
His impressive knowledge saw him walk away with a jackpot prize of £64,530 - the largest win for all Jeopardy! series and one of the biggest wins on daytime TV.
Stephen congratulated Ben as he brought the curtain down on the last episode of the series.
He told viewers: "We say goodbye to you because it is the end of the series. That's an amazing thought.
"It's been a wonderful one, we've had two tremendous champions, but none greater than this [Ben] young man who will become a hero of the valleys I've no doubt."
Jeopardy! is highly successful in the US and first aired in the UK on Channel 4 in 1983 before it moved over to ITV in 1990. It then aired on Sky Max in 1995 before coming to an end.
