Kinston’s Catherine Hardee wins $24,000 on ‘Trivial Pursuit,’ returns next week as champion

Catherine Hardee’s return to national trivia competition ended with a win — twice.

The Kinston native and former “Jeopardy!” champion appeared Thursday on “Trivial Pursuit,” the television game show hosted by LeVar Burton, and won both games featured in the one-hour episode.

Hardee finished the episode with $24,000 in winnings and will return next week as the defending champion.

“My total win so far is $24,000,” Hardee said. “I won the $20,000 in the first part of the game, and then I got four right in the second part of the game.”

On “Trivial Pursuit,” each one-hour episode includes two complete games. Hardee won the first game’s final round, earning $20,000, then won the second game and added $4,000 more.

The second game came down to a tiebreaker.

“It was a little bit tougher in the second game,” Hardee said. “I ended up with someone else ahead, and then the other player and I were tied. We did a tiebreaker, which is just one question, and whoever rings in first and gets it right moves on.”

Hardee rang in first and advanced.

“It was a close-run thing,” she said. “But I got it.”

Hardee said returning champions on “Trivial Pursuit” can play up to five games. She will appear again next week as the defending champion.

“I’m glad that I could represent Kinston on the national stage again,” Hardee said. “I am so happy that I’m able to bring a positive image of Kinston.”

Hardee’s next appearance on “Trivial Pursuit” is scheduled to air Thursday at 9 p.m. on The CW.