One last go-around. New episodes of Jeopardy! featuring Alex Trebek will air through Christmas Day, Sony Pictures Television announced on Sunday, November 8, after the longtime host’s death.
The production company said in a press release that Trebek was last in the studio on October 29, just 10 days before he lost his battle with stage IV pancreatic cancer at the age of 80. His final episode of the Merv Griffin-created game show is set to air on December 25.
“The show is not announcing plans for a new host at this time,” the press release stated after many Twitter users called for Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time champion Ken Jennings to take over.
Jeopardy! announced earlier on Sunday that Trebek died at home while surrounded by family and friends.
“This is an enormous loss for the Jeopardy! staff, crew and all of Alex’s millions of fans,” executive producer Mike Richards said in a statement. “He was a legend of the industry that we were all lucky to watch night after night for 37 years. 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.”
Trebek was diagnosed with cancer in March 2019 and continued to host the long-running quiz show for 18 months. He detailed his battle with the disease in his memoir, The Answer Is, which was published in July.
“I’ve lived a good, full life, and I’m nearing the end of it. I know that,” he wrote, telling readers that he was “not afraid of dying.”
Nearly one year into his cancer battle, the Canada native revealed that he had rehearsed the ending for his final episode of Jeopardy!, which he began hosting in 1984.
“What I would do on that day is tell the director, ‘Time the show down to leave me 30 seconds at the end. That’s all I want,’” he said on Good Morning America in January. “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, then they will be a success and the show will continue being a success. And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.’”
Trebek is survived by his wife, Jean Currivan Trebek, and his children, Nicky, Matthew and Emily.
