With Alex Trebek continuing to fight his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis (he recently underwent another round of chemotherapy), the beloved Jeopardy! host admitted in a new interview that he’s thoughtfully considered how he wants his final show to go. “It’ll be a significant moment for me,†Trebek, who’s hosted Jeopardy! since 1984, told ABC. “But I’ve kind of, in my mind, rehearsed it already.â€
While Trebek insists the show’s format will remain the exact same for his last hoorah (just imagine those three contestants, jeez), he has one request that will inevitably be honored. “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 explained. “And I will say my good-byes 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 good-bye.’â€
This hourlong interview special with ABC, which featured Trebek’s wife, Jean, also revealed that Trebek is experiencing bouts of “depression and sadness†in addition to his cancer diagnosis. “I’m not always the most pleasant person to be around when I’m experiencing severe pain or depression,†he said, “and she has to tread lightly around me.†Trebek will be back in business in a few days thanks to Jeopardy!’s “Greatest of All Time†tournament, which will reunite the show’s trio of GOATs: Ken Jennings, James Holzhauer, and Brad Rutter. Get your buzzer fingers ready!