Stephen Fry says Judi Dench wrote to him about Jeopardy! saying she ‘adores’ it

TV presenter Sir Stephen Fry has said he received a letter from Dame Judi Dench saying she “adores” his quiz programme Jeopardy!

The 67-year-old is preparing for the launch of the second series of the ITV show, which flips the traditional quiz format challenging players to guess the questions to the answers given.

Jeopardy! is adapted from its US version which first aired in 1964.

Speaking about the reaction to the show’s second series, Sir Stephen said: “When it was announced that this the series was going to happen, I did get some emails from friends who are in the public eye saying, ‘bagsy be in the celeb version’.

“It’s one of those quiz formats where people don’t only enjoy doing it, they dream of being on it. They imagine it would be really good fun to be on.

“Dame Judi Dench loved it, she did write to me. She absolutely adores it.”

The presenter went on to say he thought it would be “fun” for the 90-year-old James Bond star to appear on Jeopardy! but said he thought she would say no.

Speaking about the show’s return, Sir Stephen added: “Does one use the word cult to describe Jeopardy! or the even more cliched iconic, because this show has the status it has?

“It’s such an unusual format, any Brits who haven’t seen it in America are a bit puzzled as it takes a bit of getting used to.

“But once you do – and I know from just the experience, which is why I was very happy to do it – that it really catches hold of you and becomes a kind of addictive thing. It’s really good fun to do.”

He said he had received “really good” feedback on the show and described his role on the programme as a “dream job”.

The star added: “I’m aware that some people think I’m a sort of intellectual or posho, and that being a quiz master is not a noble job.

“I think it’s a perfectly noble job and I’m very happy to do it. I love the variety of my life.

“I do radio programmes about language and literature, I write about these things, and I am the visiting professor of creative media at Oxford.

“You know, we have a mixture in life. Who doesn’t think it’s a great treat occasionally to go to a Michelin-starred restaurant – but I will never give up beans on toast.

“I’m not saying Jeopardy! is beans on toast, of course, but it’s silly to label people as being one sort of style or another. ITV is pleased with it, hence the faith they’ve exhibited in it for this second season.”

The presenter said the programme’s latest series would be “even more exciting” and said it would have an extra round, making the game “quicker”.

Sir Stephen was knighted in the New Year Honours for his services to mental health awareness, the environment and charity, telling the PA news agency he was “startled and enchanted” after receiving the letter informing him of the knighthood.

He recently celebrated “10 happy years” of marriage to husband Elliott Spencer and is best known for playing Melchett in 1990s BBC sitcom Blackadder, and his time presenting comedy panel show QI from 2003 until 2016, when Danish-British broadcaster Sandi Toksvig took over the role.

Jeopardy! will return to ITV1 and ITVX at 3pm on March 17 and continue to air on weekdays from then on.