Jeopardy! fans were left enraged on Thursday night over an ‘offensive’ and ‘disrespectful’ question about a popular music hit

Jeopardy! fans were left enraged on Thursday night over an ‘offensive’ and ‘disrespectful’ question about a popular music hit.

The latest episode of the ABC game show saw contestants being quizzed on the song Life Is a Highway.

However, in the question that was posed by host Ken Jennings, the song was attributed to the popular country band Rascal Flatts – instead of Tom Cochrane, who wrote and released the original version in 1991.

Disgruntled audiences were quick to blast the ‘offensive’ snub, calling out Jeopardy! writers for failing to give credit to Cochrane’s writing.

It all kicked off when host Ken, 50, asked the players, ‘In the title of a Rascal Flatts song, “Life is” this type of road.’

A question about the song Life Is a Highway attributed the hit to country band Rascal Flatts instead of the original creator Tom Cochrane, leaving viewers in uproar

Contestant Adriana Harmeyer then correctly buzzed in with the answer: ‘What is a Highway.’

However, the ‘disrespectful’ oversight did not go unnoticed by viewers at home, who were furious that Canadian artist Tom, 71, who penned the original version of the song in 1991, was not referenced.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one slammed: ‘Why has #Jeopardy decided Life is a Highway is a Rascal Flatts song when they just produced an inferior cover?’

Another fumed: ‘RASCAL FLATTS DID NOT WRITE LIFE IS A HIGHWAY @Jeopardy YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS DISRESPECT.’

A third added: ‘Very offensive to Tom Cochrane to call Life is a Highway a Rascal Flatts song.’

Life Is a Highway was originally written by singer-songwriter Tom Cochrane and it appeared on his second studio album Mad Mad World, which was released in 1991.

Discussing the inspiration behind the track, Tom said he initially wrote it as ‘a pep talk to myself’ following a lifechanging trip to Africa.

Speaking to The Canadian Press in 2016, he said: ‘It was a heavy, heavy trip, and I saw a lot of stuff.

Contestant Adriana Harmeyer then correctly buzzed in with the answer: ‘What is a Highway’

Viewers were appalled that Rascal Flatts were given the credit for Life is a Highway

Life Is a Highway was originally written by Canadian singer-songwriter Tom Cochrane in 1991

‘I saw someone shot at, I saw someone die in front of me of starvation… It left a lot of scars on my psyche.

‘So, I got home, and I got up one morning and I had this sketch sitting around and we’d actually done a mock up of it, which would become Life Is a Highway.

‘I went into my studio at six in the morning and I needed something to pull me out of this funk and I had it written in about an hour.’

In 2005, Rascal Flatts recorded their cover of the song for the animated Pixar film Cars.

The song was released in 2006 and soared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number seven.

It also scooped the Favorite Song from a Movie award at the 33rd People’s Choice Awards in 2007.

Rascal Flatts recorded their cover of the song in 2005 – and it quickly soared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart

The cover was made specifically for the 2006 Pixar film Cars

Following Thursday night’s episode of Jeopardy!, host Ken ruled out signing up to appear on the competition show Dancing with The Stars.

Ken voiced his disinterest in taking to the ballroom as he answered a number of questions from fans in a video shared on the program’s official Instagram page.

‘Nobody in America wants to see me do Dancing with the Stars,’ he said.

‘I promise I will save you that indignity.’

Despite standing firm on his decision, many Jeopardy! fans called for Ken to reconsider.

One commented: ‘I am in America and I WOULD like to see you do Dancing with the Stars.’

Echoing a similar sentiment, another said: ‘Um… I would love this man on DWTS. He needs to do it please and thank you.’