Alex Trebek honoured in first 'Jeopardy!' show since his death

The world lost a TV icon this past weekend when Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek passed away. The 80-year-old host had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer and after a courageous fight, Trebek died on November 8 while surrounded by his family and friends. On Monday night, Jeopardy! honoured Trebek with a dedication at the top of the episode.Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards delivered a tribute to Trebek during the November 9 episode, the first since Trebek’s passing. “Over the weekend, we lost our beloved host, Alex Trebek,” said Richards. “This is an enormous loss for our staff and crew, for his family and for his millions of fans. He loved this show and everything it stood for. In fact, he taped his final episodes less than two weeks ago. He will forever be an inspiration for his constant desire to learn, his kindness and for his love of his family.”Continuing, Richards confirmed that Trebek’s final episodes will remain on schedule, including his last appearance on Jeopardy!, which will air on December 25. “We will air his final 35 episodes as they were shot. That’s what he wanted,” said Richards, who became visibly emotional during his speech. “On behalf of everyone here at ‘Jeopardy!’, thank you for everything, Alex. This is ‘Jeopardy!’” Richards’ tribute ended with the lights on the famous Jeopardy! staged being dimmed in honour of the late host.

Today we honor Alex Trebek. For over three decades he brought integrity, humor and intelligence to his duties as host of Jeopardy! He will be in our hearts forever.

Thank you, Alex. Love from us all. ? pic.twitter.com/w8abYY8SX5— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 10, 2020

In March 2019, Trebek revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. Trebek, who has been the host of Jeopardy! since 1984, made the announcement on the trivia show’s YouTube channel, telling fans that he was seeking treatment and would continue his hosting duties as long as possible. “Normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working,” said Trebek in the video. Following a round of chemotherapy, Trebek was in remission by May, but the cancer returned by the end of the summer.The Sudbury, Ontario native has said in several interviews that he went public with his diagnosis to stop the spread of misinformation about his condition and to help raise awareness for pancreatic cancer. Following the announcement of his cancer diagnosis, Trebek had a constant stream of encouragement and well wishes from fans around the world. After his death was announced on Sunday, tributes began pouring in on social media from viewers who spent decades watching Trebek host the beloved trivia game show.In January, Trebek and his wife Jean sat down with Michael Strahan to discuss how their lives have changed since the TV host was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and what the outpouring of support from fans has meant to the Jeopardy! staple. Trebek, who continually praised his wife for being his caretaker and his fans for lifting him up with their messages of love, said that when it comes to his final episode, he’ll only need 30 seconds to say goodbye to the fans he has entertained for more than 35 years.“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,’” said Trebek. “And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.”

.@ABC NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Beloved @jeopardy host Alex Trebek and his wife Jean speak out to @michaelstrahan on his cancer diagnosis and their lives now. https://t.co/NvdnJzW8JA pic.twitter.com/8uSW1WG7ue

— Good Morning America (@GMA) January 2, 2020

[video_embed id='2074050']BEFORE YOU GO: CTV's Lisa LaFlamme reflects on Alex Trebek's legacy[/video_embed]