He may have been tough on ‘Jeopardy!,’ but ask anyone who came into contact with Alex Trebek and they’ll tell you he had a huge heart.
Late ‘Jeopardy!’ host Alex Trebek is being remembered by fans and former contestants alike as his final episodes air on TV this week.
“He’s been a part of so many of our lives for so long -- and every night,” said former ‘Jeopardy!’ contestant Stephanie Jass. “Who else have we welcomed into our homes every night?”
The rules of the game show only allowed contact between Trebek and contestants while they were on stage together, but he still treated every contestant like a friend. He had a way of making even the most nervous player feel comfortable.
The beloved host announced his cancer diagnosis in March of 2019, determined to beat the disease despite low chances of doing so.
“I’m gonna fight this, and I’m gonna keep working,” Trebek said during his 2019 announcement. “And with the support of my family and friends, and with the help of your prayers, also, I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease. Truth told: I have to, because under the terms of my contract, I have to host ‘Jeopardy!’ for three more years.”
Trebek died on Nov. 8, 2020 at 80 years old.
“None of us can imagine ‘Jeopardy!’ without Alex Trebek,” Jass said.
Trebek’s final episode of ‘Jeopardy!’ airs on Friday, Jan. 8.