Beloved Jeopardy! television host Alex Trebek has died at the age of 80 from stage 4 pancreatic cancer, TMZ reports. According to a statement released on the official Jeopardy! Twitter account, “Jeopardy is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends.†Trebek was candid with his fans about his battle with cancer, first revealing his diagnosis in March of 2019. Trebek underwent treatment while continuing to film new episodes of Jeopardy!, which he has hosted since 1984. In an interview in July, Trebek said that he would not continue treatment if the current round failed. Still, Trebek continued to film new episodes into fall of this year, adapting its rigorous schedule to coronavirus safety considerations.
The Canadian-born television legend began his storied broadcasting career at the CBC, where he did everything from host youth-oriented music and quiz shows to radio sports announcing. In the 1970s, Trebek hosted a number of game shows until he took over from host Art Fleming at the quiz show Jeopardy!, which would become his legacy. Over the course of thousands of episodes, Trebek’s warm, intelligent presence made Jeopardy! an enduring cultural institution. He won seven Outstanding Game Show Host Emmy Awards, including in 2019 and 2020, as well as the Daytime Emmy Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. Earlier this year, Trebek released his memoir, The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life. He is survived by his wife and children.
Updated at 3:45 p.m.: A spokesperson for Jeopardy! confirmed to Vulture that Trebek’s final day in the studio was October 29, and “episodes hosted by Alex will air through December 25, 2020.†The show is not announcing plans for a future host at this time.