Jeopardy!’s Sam Buttrey confirms his rumored ‘retirement’ from show – and claims decision is ‘cost’ of new career move
Sam’s new job has left fans wondering about the future of another Jeopardy! star
JEOPARDY! star Sam Buttrey has made fans’ hearts sink after confirming his rumored ‘retirement’ from the game show.
Sam, 63, made the announcement during the latest episode of the podcast Inside Jeopardy!, which he now co-hosts.
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Sam Buttrey has confirmed his retirement from Jeopardy!Credit: Instagram/jeopardy
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His new podcast job with Inside Jeopardy! means Sam will no longer competeCredit: Instagram/jeopardy
The fan-favorite champion landed the job earlier this month and now joins long-time Jeopardy! producer Sam Whitcomb Foss and exec producer Michael Davies on the airwaves.
But his new position now means Sam will no longer be competing on the show.
Sam confirmed to listeners: “I think, you know, the time has come to, as you say, hang up the buzzer.
“You talk about getting an opportunity to watch the show and how could you have a better job than that?
“Here I have the opportunity to watch Jeopardy! and talk about it. And you know what? I was going to do that anyway.
“So I’ve had a lot of fun playing the game. But if the cost of being here with you guys and focusing on the game is retirement, sure, I’m all for it.”
Michael replied: “The same year that Tom Brady leaves the field and goes into the broadcast booth, here, you’re doing the same thing.”
Sam mused: “I am like Brady in so many ways.”
Earlier this month, official Jeopardy! social media accounts confirmed Sam as a new co-host for the Inside Jeopardy! podcast.
Fans can tune in each week to catch show announcements, episode recaps, and interviews with big winners.
On Instagram, Sam and his new co-host Sarah were pictured in the podcast studio with a pair of mics and an Emmy on the table in front of them.
The caption read, “Hold onto your butts! #InsideJeopardy! is back with a new co-host, SAM BUTTREY!”
Jeopardy! viewers were thrilled by the news, however some began to fear it was the end of Sam’s time as a contestant on the game show.
“Does this mean Sam can’t participate in tournaments any more?” one Redditor asked.
Someone else replied: “Also wondering about this. It would feel strange to not see him in next year’s [Jeopardy Invitational Tournament].”
Jeopardy! Contestant Rules
Passing Jeopardy!’s online Anytime Test is hard enough, but there are also many rules players must follow once they make it to the stage:
Fans have also been left fearing for the future of Buzzy Cohen on the podcast amid the presenting shake up.
Buzzy was the original Inside Jeopardy co-host but it is feared he has been dropped from the line-up following Sam’s appointment.
The most recent episode landed on September last week and the description on Spotify did not feature Buzzy’s name.
It read: “Michael, Sarah and Sam discuss the latest in the world of Jeopardy! including the reaction to Sam’s new role, streaming updates and Season 41 set changes before sharing highlights from last week’s games.
“Then, Sam introduces a new segment to the show and takes our listeners behind a clue.”
There was no mention of Buzzy during the 30-minute episode.
Sarah did, however, imply Buzzy would not return and that Sam had taken his place.
“Sam, you’re going to fly back down next week,” she said at the end of the episode, as the professor-turned-Bon Vivant lives in Monterey, California.”
She continued: “[Executuve Producer] Michael Davies will be back, so we’re going to have all three of us here in the pod.”
The wording of “all three of us” seemingly confirmed Buzzy is no longer involved.
Meanwhile, although he has retired from the quiz show, Sam still has a very interesting life outside of Jeopardy!.
He is married to fellow trivia devotee Elinda Hardy, who has auditioned for Jeopardy! multiple times and would help Sam revise for his own appearances.
When he’s not studying, the television star also has a very interesting side hustle creating songs on Soundcloud.
He jokingly told Ken Jennings on the show: “I’m a keyboard player but with the help of computer software I can create entire songs that I think are hilarious. But in reality range from the unfunny to offensive.
“I’ll be making you a mixtape of my two favorites: ‘The Colonoscopy Song’ and ‘Don’t Put Your Cat Butt in My Face.”
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Sam joked that he was bowing out like New England Patriots star Tom BradyCredit: Getty
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Sam is a favourite among Jeopardy! fansCredit: Getty
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He says the time has come to ‘hang up his buzzer’Credit: Getty
