Jeopardy host Alex Trebek dies at 80

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Jeopardy host Alex Trebek announced he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2019.

Jeopardy

Jeopardy game show host Alex Trebek died Sunday morning at the age of 80, the show confirmed. 

“Jeopardy is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex,” the official Jeopardy account tweeted.

Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex. pic.twitter.com/Yk2a90CHIM

— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 8, 2020

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Last year, Trebek posted a video on Twitter and YouTube telling fans he’d been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, but remained hopeful. “Normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working,” Trebek said. 

Trebek has hosted the long-running Jeopardy series since 1984, and his contract was to continue through 2023. New Jeopardy episodes hosted by Trebek will continue to air through Dec. 25. His last day in the studio was on Oct. 29.

“He was a legend of the industry that we were all lucky to watch night after night for 37 years,” Jeopardy executive producer Mike Richards said in a statement. “Working beside him for the past year and a half as he heroically continued to host Jeopardy was an incredible honor. His belief in the importance of the show and his willingness to push himself to perform at the highest level was the most inspiring demonstration of courage I have ever seen. His constant desire to learn, his kindness and his professionalism will be with all of us forever.”

In January, when Trebek was asked by Entertainment Weekly what he wanted to say on his final episode of Jeopardy, he said, “I will say my goodbyes and I will tell people, ‘Don’t ask me who’s going to replace me because I have no say whatsoever. But I’m sure that if you give them the same love and attention and respect that you have shown me for the past 30-odd years, then they will be a success and the show will continue being a success. And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.”

As expected, many of Trebek’s friends, colleagues, and past contestants showed their love for the game show host on social media.

Alex wasn’t just the best ever at what he did. He was also a lovely and deeply decent man, and I’m grateful for every minute I got to spend with him. pic.twitter.com/CdHCcbqmp2

— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) November 8, 2020

“Alex wasn’t just the best ever at what he did. He was also a lovely and deeply decent man, and I’m grateful for every minute I got to spend with him,” legendary Jeopardy contestant Ken Jennings tweeted on Sunday. Jennings holds the record for the longest winning streak on the US game show Jeopardy with 74 wins.

I was on JEOPARDY! twice. In 1998 I was on the first ever Back to School special. Alex Trebek was so nice to 15+ 10-11 year olds — my nightmare.

I wore a too shiny silver shirt from Limited Too, which Alex kept joking (kindly) about needing sunglasses to look at. RIP. #Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/QxgD9m9XI4

— 17 Minute Rain Delay (@KendraJames_) November 8, 2020

“I was on Jeopardy twice. In 1998 I was on the first-ever Back to School special,” former contestant Kendra James tweeted.  Alex Trebek was so nice to 15+ 10-11 year-olds — my nightmare. I wore a too shiny silver shirt from Limited Too, which Alex kept joking (kindly) about needing sunglasses to look at. RIP.”

So sad to hear of the passing of my friend Alex Trebek. He was a fighter and also one of the nicest people on this planet. He has left his mark on the world and in our hearts. My love and prayers go out to Jean and the entire Trebek family. His memory will forever be a blessing.

— Ed Asner (@TheOnlyEdAsner) November 8, 2020

“So sad to hear of the passing of my friend Alex Trebek,” actor Ed Asner tweeted. “He was a fighter and also one of the nicest people on this planet. He has left his mark on the world and in our hearts.”

We mourn the loss of #alextrebek -a friend, a colleague, an icon. He graced us with warmth, wit & pure elegance, which is why we welcomed him into our homes night after night, year after year. We are deeply saddened for his wife Jean, his family & millions of Jeopardy fans.

— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) November 8, 2020

“We mourn the loss of Alex Trebek — a friend, a colleague, an icon. He graced us with warmth, wit and pure elegance, which is why we welcomed him into our homes night after night, year after year. We are deeply saddened for his wife Jean, his family and millions of Jeopardy fans,” Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger tweeted.

Other fan tributes to Trebek on Twitter show how much the game show host will be missed. “The greatest quiz show host ever, never to be equaled,” wrote Peter Sagal, host of National Public Radio game show Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me. “RIP, Alex Trebek.”

This must be what is was like to be a ball player when Babe Ruth or Jackie Robinson died. The greatest quiz show host ever, never to be equaled. RIP, Alex Trebek.

— Peter Sagal (@petersagal) November 8, 2020

Saddened to learn of Alex Trebek’s death. I play jeopardy every day on the Echo and love his voice. Seemed like a gracious, kind man. We need more of those.

— Sam Riegel (@samriegel) November 8, 2020

Alex Trebek has died. He was a legend and one of the last universally beloved humans on Earth.

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) November 8, 2020

I am so very very sad. Awful news about someone beloved by millions including myself. A shining example of someone who did something amazingly well for a long long time. RIP to the legend Alex Trebek. https://t.co/7hcwmHL6j3

— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) November 8, 2020

Alex Trebek has passed-away at the age of 80 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

This clip is everything.

Rest, Alex. Rest, sir…pic.twitter.com/zDX75s6Mtd

— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) November 8, 2020

I am truly bereft at the loss of Alex Trebek. He seemed like such a good soul. May he Rest In Peace.

— roxane gay (@rgay) November 8, 2020

Alex Trebek seemed like a straight-shooter but he was never afraid to have fun with parodies. His bit on The Simpsons is one of my favorite guest spots ever pic.twitter.com/2o2nzZ1nfT

— Tristan Cooper (@TristanACooper) November 8, 2020

Everyone jokes that Dolly Parton is the only person who could unite America but here was Alex Trebek in living rooms and at dinner tables forcing families to stop arguing and reexamine their gaps of intelligence for 40 years

— Marc (@MarcSnetiker) November 8, 2020

It was an actual highlight of my professional life when something I wrote was a clue on @Jeopardy. I don’t expect that Alex Trebek would have remembered that he and I had that brief intersection of our lives — he read a lot of clues — but I remember, and I am glad for it. pic.twitter.com/veOovy42hO

— John Scalzi (@scalzi) November 8, 2020



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