Mattea Roach

{{Infobox person

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|10|26}}

| birth_place = Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

| occupation = radio host

| years_active = 2022–present

| alma_mater = Trinity College, Toronto{{cite web |date=April 11, 2022 |title=U of T Alumna Mattea Roach Racks Up Jeopardy! Wins: Toronto Star, CTV |url=https://www.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-alumna-mattea-roach-racks-jeopardy-wins-toronto-star-ctv |publisher=University of Toronto |access-date=November 12, 2022}}

| known_for = 23-game winning streak on Jeopardy!

}}

Mattea Roach (born October 26, 1998) is a Canadian broadcaster and game show contestant who held a 23-game winning streak on the game show Jeopardy! from April 5, 2022, to May 6, 2022. Roach was the most successful Canadian to play Jeopardy! and is placed in sixth for all-time regular season wins. Roach won US$560,983 throughout their run, getting the correct response to 93 percent of buzzed-in clues. During their 24th game, they lost to Danielle Maurer by just US$1. With their streak, Roach qualified for the season's Tournament of Champions.{{Cite news |last=McKeen |first=Alex |date=April 22, 2022 |title=Mattea Roach is on the longest 'Jeopardy!' winning streak for a Canadian. Here's how it's giving her and her family a new way to think about joy |language=en-CA |work=The Toronto Star |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/04/22/mattea-roach-is-on-the-longest-jeopardy-winning-streak-for-a-canadian-heres-how-its-giving-her-and-her-family-a-new-way-to-think-about-joy.html |access-date=April 23, 2022 |issn=0319-0781}} Roach placed second in the first season of Jeopardy! Masters, which aired in 2023.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/mattea-roach-advances-to-final-jeopardy-masters-tournament-1.6853631 |title=Mattea Roach places 2nd in Jeopardy! Masters tournament |work=CBC News |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=May 24, 2023 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526233002/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/mattea-roach-advances-to-final-jeopardy-masters-tournament-1.6853631 |archivedate=May 26, 2023 |accessdate=May 26, 2023 }}

In August 2024, Roach was announced as the host of Bookends, a new CBC Radio show about books and literature.Nicole Thompson, [https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/jeopardy-star-mattea-roach-to-host-new-cbc-books-radio-show-bookends/article_3ef71773-f64b-5274-81c8-1261233df2db.html "‘Jeopardy’ star Mattea Roach to host new CBC books radio show, ‘Bookends’"]. Toronto Star, August 27, 2024. That show began on September 8, 2024.

Early and personal life

Roach graduated from Sacred Heart School of Halifax and has family residing in Halifax and Cape Breton. They were raised for the first six years of their life and part of their adolescence in Halifax.{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Nicole |date=April 22, 2022 |title=Canadian tutor Mattea Roach on her 'Jeopardy!' streak and 15 minutes of fame |url=https://www.cp24.com/entertainment-news/canadian-tutor-mattea-roach-on-her-jeopardy-streak-and-15-minutes-of-fame-1.5871602 |access-date=April 23, 2022 |website=CP24 |language=en}} They maintain some traditions from Sacred Heart's Catholic curriculum and frequently prayed the Hail Mary during their Jeopardy! introductions.{{Cite web |title='Jeopardy!' super champ explains why she talks to herself during shows |url=https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/jeopardy-winner-mattea-roach-youngest-super-champion-shows-84366041 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Good Morning America |language=en}} They graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor's degree in sexual diversity studies, political science, and women and gender studies.{{cite web |title=U of T grad Mattea Roach continues hot streak to enter Jeopardy! Hall of Fame |url=https://www.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-grad-mattea-roach-continues-hot-streak-enter-jeopardy-hall-fame |website=U of T News |publisher=University of Toronto |access-date=April 24, 2022 |location=Toronto |date=April 22, 2022}} At the time of their run, they worked as a Law School Admission Test (LSAT) tutor and lived in Toronto.{{Cite web |title=Mattea Roach's Jeopardy! hot streak continues with lucky win No. 13 {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8777776/mattea-roach-13th-jeopardy-win/ |access-date=April 23, 2022 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}

Roach is a lesbian{{cite news |last1=Shatto |first1=Rachel |title=Lesbian Jeopardy! Champ Mattea Roach Extends Her Winning Streak |url=https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2022/4/21/lesbian-jeopardy-champ-mattea-roach-just-keeps-winning |access-date=April 24, 2022 |work=The Advocate |publisher=Pride Media |date=April 21, 2022 |location=Los Angeles CA}} and queer.{{cite web | title="An honor and a pleasure," Jeopardy! contestant Mattea Roach talks queer representation, Amy Schneider, and more | website=GLAAD | date=April 28, 2022 | last=Useche | first=Jose | url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/honor-and-pleasure-jeopardy-contestant-mattea-roach-talks-queer-representation-amy-schneider | access-date=May 10, 2023}} They have said that their favourite game show growing up was Wheel of Fortune but that they also grew up watching Jeopardy!{{cite news |last1=Lau |first1=Rebecca |title=Nova Scotia's Mattea Roach now a 3-day Jeopardy! champion with almost $81K |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8743210/nova-scotia-jeopardy-mattea-roach-third-appearance/ |access-date=April 24, 2022 |work=Global News |publisher=Corus Entertainment |date=April 7, 2022 |location=Toronto}} They have tattoos of Talking Heads quotes and have met Bill Gates.{{Citation |title=All the Things We've Learned About Mattea So Far {{!}} Jeopardy! | date=April 19, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir9N9yoPkSw |language=en |access-date=April 30, 2022}} In a May 2022 interview published in Vulture, Roach said that they would prefer Ken Jennings, who hosted the majority of their Jeopardy! episodes, to become the show's permanent host.{{cite news |last1=Ivie |first1=Devon |title=Jeopardy! Champion Mattea Roach Knows She's Divisive |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/jeopardy-champion-mattea-roach-interview.html |access-date=May 9, 2022 |work=Vulture |publisher=New York Magazine |date=May 5, 2022}}

In their May 4, 2022, episode, they spoke of having participated in Choir! Choir! Choir!'s 2018 show performing Rick Astley's 1987 hit "Never Gonna Give You Up" with Astley himself in attendance.[https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/toronto-tutor-mattea-roach-cruises-to-jeopardy-win-no-22 "Toronto tutor Mattea Roach cruises to 'Jeopardy!' win No. 22"]. Calgary Herald, May 4, 2022.

''Jeopardy!''

Throughout their run, Roach won 23 games and US$560,983, equivalent to over 700,000 Canadian dollars. At 23 years of age at the time of their winning streak, they were the youngest contestant to reach this total. At the time of the end of their run on May 6, 2022, they were fifth in total all-time regular season earnings and fifth in total regular-season wins.{{cite episode |series= CTV National News |title= May 6th 2022 |airdate= May 6, 2022 |network= CTV }}{{cite episode |series= Jeopardy! |title= May 6th, 2022 |airdate= May 6, 2022 |publisher= Sony Television }} They are ranked sixth in total all-time regular season earnings, fifth in total regular-season wins, and tenth in all-time winnings (including tournaments) {{As of|2023|01|18|lc=y|df=US|url=https://www.jeopardy.com/contestant-zone/toc-tracker}}.{{Cite web |title=Leaderboard of Legends {{!}} Jeopardy.com |url=https://www.jeopardy.com/contestant-zone/leaderboard-of-legends |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=www.jeopardy.com}} After winning their first game with $32,001, Roach proclaimed "My student loan is paid off."{{Cite web |title=Overheard on Set: 'My Student Loan is Paid Off' {{!}} J!Buzz {{!}} Jeopardy.com |url=https://www.jeopardy.com/jbuzz/overheard/overheard-set-my-student-loan-paid |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=www.jeopardy.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=What's next for Mattea Roach following historic Jeopardy! run |url=https://halifax.citynews.ca/local-news/whats-next-for-mattea-roach-following-historic-jeopardy-run-5362248 |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=CityNews Halifax |date=May 12, 2022 |language=en}}

Roach has said that when they arrived for their first game, they had expected to face off with Amy Schneider, whose 40-day streak had ended, unbeknownst to most, a few months before Roach started competing.{{Cite web |last=Trepany |first=Charles |title='Jeopardy!' contestant Mattea Roach clinches 14th win, is now a top all-time contestant |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2022/04/22/jeopardy-champion-mattea-roach-lands-14th-straight-win/7417063001/ |access-date=April 23, 2022 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} The season in which they competed also included 10-plus-game winning streaks from Schneider, Matt Amodio, and Jonathan Fisher.{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2022 |first=Natasha |last=Dado |title=Mattea Roach Wins 12th Consecutive Jeopardy! Match, Accomplishing a Rare Game Show Move |url=https://people.com/tv/mattea-roach-wins-12th-consecutive-jeopardy-match-accomplishes-rare-move/ |access-date=April 23, 2022 |website=PEOPLE.com |language=en}}

As the most successful Canadian, Roach lamented that the late former host and Canadian Alex Trebek was not still hosting the game. Of their game strategy, Roach has talked about focusing on the things that are controllable.{{Cite news |last=McKeen |first=Alex |date=April 8, 2022 |title=She's now a four-time Jeopardy! winner. Hear this Canadian's advice on getting in the zone |language=en-CA |work=The Toronto Star |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2022/04/08/this-23-year-old-canadian-jeopardy-winner-offers-advice-after-her-champion-calibre-run.html |access-date=April 23, 2022 |issn=0319-0781}} They also called their strategy "bad", saying it was about minimizing loss versus gain maximization.{{Cite web |last=Ivie |first=Devon |date=May 5, 2022 |title=Jeopardy! Champion Mattea Roach Knows She's Divisive |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/jeopardy-champion-mattea-roach-interview.html |access-date=May 6, 2022 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}

Roach was the only person on stage for Final Jeopardy! for their 12th game on April 20, 2022, the first time that scenario had occurred since October 13, 2020.{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2022 |title=The latest 'Jeopardy!' episode had a rare ending |url=https://www.deseret.com/2022/4/21/23035601/jeopardy-did-mattea-roach-win-how-many-games-has-she-won |access-date=January 18, 2023 |website=Deseret News |language=en}} Later, in their 17th appearance on April 27, 2022, Roach had exactly double the score of the second-place opponent, Ben Hsia, at the start of Final Jeopardy! Hsia bet all his earnings and responded to the clue correctly, tying him with Roach. Roach also responded correctly, betting only $1, winning the game by $1.{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2022 |title=Canada's Mattea Roach extends Jeopardy! win streak to 17 games |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/mattea-roach-jeopardy-1.6432457 |website=CBC}}

Roach lost their 24th game on May 6, 2022, bringing a close to their winning streak after they failed to provide the correct response in Final Jeopardy! The contestant who dethroned Roach was Danielle Maurer, a digital marketing manager from Peachtree Corners, Georgia, who finished with a winning total of $15,600, beating Roach by $1.{{Cite news |last=Underwood |first=Lindsey |date=May 7, 2022 |title=Mattea Roach Ended Her 'Jeopardy!' Streak. Her Blazers Live On. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/06/style/mattea-roach-jeopardy.html |access-date=May 7, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|title=After fierce 23-game run, Canadian Jeopardy! champ Mattea Roach loses by $1 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/mattea-roach-jeopardy-23-games-1.6444953 |website=CBC}}

Roach appeared in the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions that aired in November 2022 but lost to Andrew He.{{Cite news |date=November 11, 2022 |title=Mattea Roach Ended Her 'Jeopardy!' Streak. Her Blazers Live On. |language=en-US |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/mattea-roach-jeopardy-tournament-of-champions-1.6648899 |access-date=November 12, 2022}}

Roach competed in the first season of Jeopardy! Masters, which aired in May 2023. In the finals, they finished second to James Holzhauer, winning $250,000 and an invitation to the next Masters competition.

Post-''Jeopardy!''

In September 2022, Roach was named as the new host of The Backbench, a biweekly political interview podcast from the Canadaland network of political and media analysis podcasts.Connie Thiessen, [https://broadcastdialogue.com/jeopardy-champ-mattea-roach-named-new-host-of-canadalands-the-backbench/ "Jeopardy! champ Mattea Roach named new host of Canadaland's 'The Backbench'"]. Broadcast Dialogue, September 6, 2022.

In 2023, they were a panelist on Canada Reads, championing the eventual winner, Kate Beaton's graphic novel Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands.[https://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/meet-the-canada-reads-2023-contenders-1.6716837 "Meet the Canada Reads 2023 contenders"]. CBC Books'', January 25, 2023.

In August 2024, CBC Radio announced Bookends, a program about books and literature to be hosted by Roach, which will replace Writers & Company on the schedule.