‘Jeopardy!’ to feature special message after death of host Alex Trebek
LOS ANGELES - “Jeopardy!” plans to feature a special message on the show in the wake of beloved longtime host Alex Trebek after his death “on behalf of everyone in the ‘Jeopardy!’ family,” according to a Facebook post.
It was not specified what the message will say, but it comes just one day after the death of the show’s host of more than 30 years, Alex Trebek.
Despite suffering from an advanced case of pancreatic cancer, Trebek recorded shows to be distributed through Dec. 25 and they will air as scheduled, according to the post.
Trebek passed away on Nov. 8 at the age of 80.The Canadian-born host, who made a point of informing fans about his health directly, spoke in a calm, even tone as he revealed his illness and hope for a cure in a video posted March 6, 2019.
In the video, Trebek said he was joining the 50,000 other Americans who receive such a diagnosis each year and that he recognized that the prognosis was not encouraging.
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But Trebek said he intended to fight it and keep working, even joking that he needed to beat the disease because his “Jeopardy!” contract ran for three more years. Less than a week later, he opened the show with a message acknowledging the outpouring of kind words and prayers he’d received.
FILE: Host Alex Trebek poses on the set at Sony Pictures for the 28th Season Premiere of the television show "Jeopardy" on September 20, 2011 in Culver City, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
“Thanks to the — believe it or not — hundreds of thousands of people who have sent in tweets, texts, emails, cards and letters wishing me well,” Trebek said. “I’m a lucky guy.”
Trebek’s death came less than four months after that of civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, also of advanced pancreatic cancer at age 80. Trebek had offered him words of encouragement last January.
Messages of grief and respect from former contestants, celebrities and the wider public quickly followed news of Trebek’s passing.
“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,” tweeted “Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings. “Thinking today about his family and his Jeopardy! family — which, in a way, included millions of us.”
“It was one of the great privileges of my life to spend time with this courageous man while he fought the battle of his life. You will never be replaced in our hearts, Alex,” James Holzhauer, another “Jeopardy!” star, posted on Twitter.
Recent winner Burt Thakur tweeted that he was “overwhelmed with emotion." When he appeared on Friday's show, Thakur recounted learning English diction as a child from watching Trebek on “Jeopardy!” with his grandfather.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.