The pair will continue to split hosting duties of the popular game show. Ken Jennings, Mayim Bialik open up about hosting ‘Jeopardy!’

How do you replace a legend?

That’s the task facing Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings, who last month were named permanent hosts of “Jeopardy!” The pair will split the job, officially taking over for Alex Trebek after filling in for him since he died in 2020.

The duo says hosting the beloved game show is not always easy.

“I watched Alex do it up close and I couldn’t understand the kind of ease and grace because you’re doing so many things at once, right?” Jennings said Monday when he appeared with Bialik on the “Inside Jeopardy!” podcast.

“You’re trying to run the show for the contestants, you’re part of the game just like the writers of the board, but you’re also trying to interpret it for the folks at home. So it’s like you’re a sportscaster almost. And it goes so fast.”

Bialik, who has been open about how she’s gradually grown more comfortable hosting the show, also said the speed of the game can be overwhelming.

“I think people don’t realize how many things you’re calculating because you want to move things along,” she said. “You also want to give things their fair weight. Also, there’s someone in your ear and there’s many opportunities for, ‘Oh, my gosh, that was the wrong thing to say.’ And there’s a lot of going back. There’s a lot of editing.”

Bialik, who has a doctorate in neuroscience, also said she feels like she’s held to a high standard because of her level of education.

“I feel like if I make a mistake, even if we can go back and edit it, it feels very embarrassing, because I think people are like, ‘Oh, she’s a celebrity’ or ‘Oh, she’s got a PhD. She shouldn’t make simple math errors.’ But sometimes I do it and it’s very stressful,” she said.

The 39th season of “Jeopardy!” premieres Sept. 12. Jennings will start the season as host and stand behind the lectern during the “Second Chance” competition and the Tournament of Champions.

Bialik, who will host “Celebrity Jeopardy!” as well as the national college championship, will replace Jennings in January.

While hosting a long-running show with fervent fans comes with challenges, it can also be a very satisfying experience.

“I just love watching people play. I love the excitement. I love the competition,” Bialik said.

“It’s just a very intense adrenaline experience you kind of chase for the rest of your life,” Jennings said. “And when the games get really good out here, when the players are really cooking and it’s intense and it’s close, I kind of feel like I’m in there playing, you’re part of the game. You’re part of the show. There’s this transcendent thing that happens where the audience is locked in and I just look for that.”

Jennings also says he does his best to calm down the contestants.

“One of the things I tried to do is I try to talk them down and just say like, ‘Please enjoy this day,’” he said. “It was always a little bit intimidating to walk out and see Alex, not because we inculcated that, but just because the man was a legend. So I don’t want to be part of what intimidates the contestants. I want them to know that I got their back.”