Alex Trebek has passed away after a difficult battle with pancreatic cancer. The admired Jeopardy! host was 80 years old.
A Jeopardy! spokesperson told TMZ, “Jeopardy is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends.”
Additionally, the official Jeopardy! Twitter handle confirmed the devastating news.
Trebek announced in March 2019 that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. “I have lived a good life, a full life and I’m nearing the end of that life,” he told USA Today last October. With no plans to retire, he immediately started chemo and continued to host Jeopardy!.
Trebek had been the game show’s host since its 1984 syndication, which landed him five Daytime Emmy Awards for outstanding game show host. Variety reports that in 2011, he was also granted a Peabody Award for “encouraging, celebrating and rewarding knowledge,” with Jeopardy becoming the only post-1960 game show to receive the honor.
On June 13, 2014, after Trebek officially hosted 6,829 episodes of the show, he held the Guinness World Record for the most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter (same program). Bob Barker was the previous record holder.
The Jeopardy!website notably includes a quote from Trebek: “I think what makes Jeopardy special is that, among all the quiz and game shows out there, ours tends to reward and encourage learning.”
