Jeopardy! returns for its 41st season this month. Ahead of the premiere, famed contestant Sam Kavanaugh has shared some behind-the-scenes secrets.
In an interview with The Sun, Kavanaugh revealed that the game show not only tests contestants' knowledge, but also their physical capabilities. Oftentimes, contestants will film up to a week's worth of episodes in a single day.
"The thing that generally surprises people the most is just how much of an endurance game it is," Kavanaugh said. "You tape five episodes, sometimes up to seven episodes a day. Two TOCs ago, I did seven."
Back in 2021, Kavanaugh won Jeopardy!'s Tournament of Champions. He has appeared on the game show multiple times since 2019. This year, Kavanaugh competed in the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament.
Kavanaugh shared that he played sports as a child, but taping multiple episodes of Jeopardy! In one sitting has proven to be even more physically taxing.
"I played physical sports as a kid, and I've never been as tired as after a day of taping," Kavanaugh said. "We pretend it's all taped on a different day, but because it's all packed in there, there's an element that's really hard to gauge in contestants when you're watching them. 'Are they good at this? That endurance element."
The famed contestant continued that while some people on the show can start off on a winning streak, the physical endurance aspect can ultimately result in a loss toward the end, as a result of getting burnt out in the game.
Kavanaugh also spoke to The Sun in July, where he explained that Jeopardy! could draw in more viewers if they were to bring in contestants from more relatable walks of life.
"There's a lot of latent talent out there; I hope that for everyone's sake, the show is able to [find that balance] and continue to grow in that direction," he said. "One of the joys of the show is, 'oh, you're a waiter,' and you watch them do well, and it's super affirming."
Jeopardy!'s 41st season will premiere Monday, September 9.
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