Jeopardy! host and TV legend Alex Trebek announced earlier today that he’s been diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer.

 

Alex, who is now 78-years old, has hosted Jeopardy! since 1984, announced the sad news on the show’s YouTube page.  Alex explains, “Normally the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working.  And with the love and support from my family and friends, and with the help of your prayers also, I plan to beat the low survival rates statistics for this disease.  Truth be told I have to, because under the terms of my contract I have to host Jeopardy! for three more years so, help me, keep the faith, and we’ll win. We’ll get it done. Thank you.”

 

 

Last October, Alex had renewed his contract and made the decision to continue to host until 2020.  Last July, Alex made an appearance on Harvey Levin’s show called OBJECTified where he explained how he considered retiring in 2020, well before renewing his contract, “If I’m still enjoying it and if I’m not making too many mistakes, then I will continue but, there comes a time, of course … [The Price Is Right host] Bob Barker is a perfect example. He was still doing well, but he figured, hey, the time is now. And in life we make a lot of decisions about what we want to do and whether to accept a job, and you should also be able to make an intelligent decision about when it’s time to hang things up.”  On the same episode, Alex even named potential hosts to fill his spot, when or if the time came he said goodbye to Jeopardy! He included names such as Los Angeles Kings play-by-play announcer Alex Faust and CNN legal analyst Laura Coates.

 

Back in 2007 and 2012, Alex suffered from mild heart attacks then, in 2015, had knee replacement surgery followed by having blood clots removed from his brain last January.  In a video that was posted on the Jeopardy! Twitter account, “Some of you may have heard that during the holiday break I had a slight medical problem.  A subdural hematoma, blood clots on the brain caused by a fall I endured about two months ago.  Surgery was performed. After two days in the hospital, I came home to start recovery.  The prognosis is excellent …  And I want to thank all of you for your concern.”

 

Lastly, Alex says, “It’s natural.  I’m 78. It’s not like this happened at 50. When it’s clear that it’s time for me to go, I’ll go.”

 

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My favorite Canadian

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Our thoughts and prayers go to Alex during this difficult time.  Check out Alex during the opening of the first episode of Jeopardy! from 1984 below.

 

Filed under: Alex Trebek, Jeopardy