Names and faces
■ Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says he will be a guest host on “Jeopardy!” during the offseason. The show is currently using a series of interim hosts to replace Alex Trebek, who died of cancer Nov. 8. That process began when record-holding contestant Ken Jennings made his debut on an episode that aired Monday. Rodgers was a winning “Celebrity Jeopardy!” contestant in 2015. The All-Pro quarterback and two-time MVP is currently preparing to lead the Packers (13-3) into their NFC divisional playoff game Saturday with the Los Angeles Rams (11-6). “The show has been so special to me over the years,” Rodgers said Tuesday. “It’s been a staple at my house here in Green Bay for the last 16 years — 6 o’clock, watching Alex and trying to get as many questions as I can. When the opportunity came up in 2015, that was a dream come true. It really was. To be on there, to get to meet Alex was just such a special moment. We’re all obviously sad about his passing.” Rodgers first made the announcement earlier Tuesday during a appearance on Sirius XM’s “The Pat McAfee Show.” A representative from “Jeopardy!” declined comment and said no announcement has been made about future guest hosts. “I may have jumped the gun a little bit, so I apologize to ‘Jeopardy!’ if they wanted to announce it,” Rodgers said. “We all have so much love and affection I think for what (Trebek’s) meant to just that half hour, that 22 minutes of our lives on a daily basis for those of us who are big fans of the show,” he added. “To be able to be a guest host is really, really special for me. I can’t wait for the opportunity.”
■ Sarah, the Duchess of York, has landed a book deal for her debut novel for adults, a historical romance fictionalizing the life and loves of her greatgreat-great aunt. In a promotional video posted Wednesday on her Twitter account, the former Sarah Ferguson said the novel, titled “Her Heart for a Compass,” is set in the Victorian era and is “about daring to follow your heart against the odds.” The duchess wore a Victorian-style outfit in the video and described her heroine as strong, rebellious and courageous. Publisher Mills & Boon, a romance imprint of British publisher Harlequin UK, said the story is based on Sarah’s ancestor, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott, who fled an arranged marriage and “the confines of polite society.” The duchess said she also drew on “many parallels from my life” for the love story. Sarah was married to Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth’s third child, but the couple divorced in the 1990s. She has published her memoirs and written a number of children’s books. Her novel, which was written with author Marguerite Kaye, is set to be published in August.