Jeopardy player apologizes after being mistakenly crowned first champion married to a previous winner

“I love ‘Jeopardy!’ and the people who love and participate in ‘Jeopardy!’ and would never want to hurt them or diminish their accomplishments,” Jason Singer wrote.

Jason Singer joined his wife, Susan McMillan, as a Jeopardy champion on Tuesday.
Media outlets erroneously claimed that the couple was the first duo of married winners in the show’s history.
Singer offered an apology to previous married Jeopardy winners in response to the mistake.

A Jeopardy champion is apologizing to other winners for the media kerfuffle that his victory inspired.

Jason Singer, who won the iconic game show on Tuesday and Wednesday’s episodes, was the subject of discourse in the Jeopardy community after several media outlets erroneously reported that he had achieved a new milestone on the show. Since his wife, Susan McMillan, previously won Jeopardy in 2021, some publications claimed that they were the first married players to both win the show after tying the knot.

However, multiple Jeopardy victors who are also married to past winners spoke up online, noting that several other couples had already earned the same distinction. Singer offered his sincere apologies to previous married winners in a statement to Entertainment Weekly.

“After I heard from other players via Facebook that there had been a handful of previously married champions, I felt terribly,” Singer began. “We always told media and other people it was anecdotal and that ‘Jeopardy!’ didn’t track that stat.” (Indeed, a representative for Jeopardy confirmed that the show does not keep records of players’ marital statuses.)

‘Jeopardy’ contestant reveals she’s related to person in game-winning clue: ‘Just her luck!’

‘Jeopardy’ champ reveals he married an all-time great player in chat with Ken Jennings

“I love ‘Jeopardy!’ and the people who love and participate in ‘Jeopardy!’ and would never want to hurt them or diminish their accomplishments in any way,” Singer wrote. “On both of those fronts, I obviously came up short here.”

Singer specifically apologized to Kristin Sausville, a Jeopardy alum who won on the show five times in 2015 and is married to Justin Sausville, who won six episodes in 2011.

“Kristin Sausville and all the other champions and championship couples deserve all the plaudits in the world because winning on ‘Jeopardy!’ means you’re an interesting, curious, engaged human who’s worked really hard and performed incredibly under a lot of pressure,” Singer wrote. “In addition, Kristin and her husband won many times and qualified for the Tournament of Champions, which is even more impressive!”

Jason Singer on ‘Jeopardy’.Jeopardy!

Singer noted that he has already contacted Sausville directly and attempted to correct the narrative surrounding his victory.

“In addition to asking for corrections and clarifications from any media I spoke with, I also reached out to Kristin on Facebook and apologized personally and gave her my cell phone number if she ever wanted to talk,” he wrote. “I’m sad for her and for anybody else who felt diminished by our media coverage, but I hope she gets the attention she’s earned, as with every other couple who’s ever been on.”

The two-day champion also proposed a new iteration of the show that could bring back all of the show’s victorious couples — which could also include married winners Dan Pawson and Andrea Saenz, David Rigsby and Ryan Alley, and Amy Stephenson and Scott Bateman.

“I sincerely hope one day there’s a Couples Tournament for all couples who have succeeded on Jeopardy, so she and others have a chance to go back on and get even more plaudits, recognition and even more chances to show off their amazing minds,” Singer wrote.

Ken Jennings hosting ‘Jeopardy’.Jeopardy!

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly’s free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

The victor concluded his remarks with admiration for Jeopardy alums and fans.

“I feel really grateful to be a tiny part of such a special, loving and brilliant community, and I hope that by apologizing and trying to correct the record, I’ve taken a small step toward healing anyone I hurt,” Singer wrote.

Singer’s third appearance on Jeopardy will air Thursday night.