Famous and beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek announced that he was battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer in March, 2019.  He’s done multiple rounds of chemotherapy and promised his very loyal fans that he’d continue to host “as long as [his] skills have not diminished.”  His fans and contestants have been offering their immense support for their favorite game show host. Trebek and his fans know that his “Jeopardy!” days may be coming to an end soon, even though he has not shared when his final show will be.

Trebek has been planning what he will say on his last show of “Jeopardy!” whenever that may be.  In an interview with ABC News, he said, “I’ve kind of, in my mind, rehearsed it already, and 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 also said, “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.”

This heartwarming sentiment is incredibly sad for viewers of the show, but fans have been incredibly supportive and positive. 

“Most of us have open-ended lives,” said Trebek, who has hosted “Jeopardy!” for 35 years.  “We don’t know when we’re going to die. Because of the cancer diagnosis, it’s no longer an open-ended life, it’s a closed-end life because of the terrible statistics, survival rates for pancreatic cancer.  And because of that, and something else that is operating here, people all over America and abroad have decided they want to let me know now, while I’m alive, about the impact that I’ve been having on their existence … They have come out and they have told me. And, my gosh, it makes me feel so good.”