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“Peril!” paid tribute to Alex Trebek and his decades-long run as host of the famous trivia show on Monday as his final episodes began airing the day after his death.
“Peril!” Executive producer Mike Richards opened the show by acknowledging the “enormous loss” of Trebek, who died Sunday at age 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Trebek had hosted the game show since 1984 and was hired to continue until 2022.
Richards stood in front of the show’s set and addressed viewers with a touching tribute before the taped episode aired at its regular time slot.
“He loved this show and everything it stood for. In fact, he filmed his final episodes less than two weeks ago,” Richards said. “He will forever be an inspiration for his constant desire to learn, his kindness and his love for his family.”
The show will air the last 35 episodes of Trebek until Christmas Day because “that’s what he wanted,” Richards added.
“On behalf of everyone here at ‘Jeopardy!’ thanks for everything, Alex, ”said Richards.
Trebek was a beloved figure in pop culture known for his calm, gentle, and witty demeanor in telling contestants they answered wrong. It has won six Daytime Emmy Awards and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2011.
It was a shock for “Jeopardy!” fans last year when Trebek announced that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He periodically provided health updates in recorded videos posted to the show’s social media accounts, offering hope for his condition.
But Trebek presented a more candid, darker reality about the state of his illness during an interview with the New York Times in July. He told the newspaper that if his treatment at the time was not working, he planned to stop the treatment altogether.
“Yesterday morning my wife came to see me and said, ‘How are you feeling?’ And I said: “I want to die”. It was so bad, ”he told The Times. “There comes a time when you have to decide if you want to continue with such a poor quality of life, or if you just want to take it to the next level. It doesn’t bother me at all. “
Trebek was congratulated on Sunday by dozens of people following news of his death, from celebrities to world leaders. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Trebek, who was born in Ontario, an “icon”.
“Almost every night for more than three decades, Alex Trebek has entertained and educated millions of people around the world, instilling in so many of us a love of anecdotes.” Trudeau said on Twitter Sunday. “My deepest condolences to his family, friends and all who mourn this terrible loss.”
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