What happened to Jeopardy! champion Ben Chan?

JEOPARDY! fans became concerned after it was announced that returning champion Ben Chan would not be competing on April 17, 2023.

Now, they want to know what happened to the St. Norbert College philosophy professor.

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What happened to Jeopardy! champion Ben Chan?

Ben Chan debuted on Jeopardy! on April 12, 2023, and went on to win three days in a row.

After racking up over $69,000, fans were eager to see if he could continue his winning streak on April 17, however, they were stunned to find out that he wasn't in the mix of contestants.

While not much is known about his disappearance, it is reportedly linked to "an ill-timed illness."

"Due to an ill-timed illness, Ben Chan's return to 'Jeopardy!' was delayed," St. Norbert College said in a statement, via Green Bay Press Gazette.

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Instead of watching Chan compete on April 17, fans will see a match-up between Toni Van Kampen, a retired systems analyst from Illinois, Daniel Ciarrocchi, a writer from Maryland, and Madeleine McKenna, an attorney from California.

When will Ben Chan return to Jeopardy!?

While Chan might be out due to illness, that does not mean his run on the popular game show is over.

He is expected to return to the Jeopardy! stage on Monday, May 15, 2023.

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Who is Ben Chan?

Outside of being known as a game show star, Chan is known for his career as an assistant professor of philosophy at St. Norbert College.

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Chan, who is a life-long Jeopardy! fan, began working at the college in 2013.

While not much is known about his personal life, it was the unexpected death of one of his best friends that gave him the motivation to try out for the show.

“I’ve never made a 'bucket list,' but I think that experience made me realize that being on ‘Jeopardy!’ was on my bucket list,” he told the Green Bay Press Gazette, later calling it "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

“So my goal going in was to be super prepared and then to play with joy. I figured I would have no regrets if I did those two things,” Chan continued.

“I enjoyed the preparation a lot. I learned a lot of things I should have known years ago, and I discovered some new study tools that I think I can pass on to my students.”

Prior to teaching, Chan obtained his bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and his doctorate from the University of California-Los Angeles.