Perhaps a suitable way to honour Canadian legend Alex Trebek who died on Sunday is that his final “Jeopardy!” episode will air on Christmas Day. A gift for all.
After the game show announced that Trebek died at 80, Sony shared when his last episode would be broadcast.
Trebek battled pancreatic cancer for a long time, often taking time away from the show to recover after announcing the stage 4 diagnosis in March 2019. His last episodes of “Jeopardy!” were filmed on Oct. 29 — 10 days before his death.
RELATED: TV Icon Alex Trebek Dead At 80
The show is in the middle of filming its 37th season.
Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex. pic.twitter.com/Yk2a90CHIM
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 8, 2020
Speaking about the final episode, executive producer Mike Richards told CNN he “had chills” while filming.
“He was the most professional person I worked with in any capacity. Here he was battling cancer, chemo, exhaustion, but you couldn’t tell when the cameras rolled,” Richards said. “The fact that he recorded what would be his final episodes two weeks ago gives you an idea of how much he cared about the show.”
Richards said they “didn’t know” his final episodes would be his last but they could sense him slowing down because they only filmed three in one day instead of the typical five.
“He was in pain and we knew it,” he added. “I had chills the entire tape day…He gives a speech talking about togetherness, how important family is and it will resonate even more now.
“It was so beautiful, we were all in tears.”
“Today we lost a legend and a beloved member of the Sony Pictures family,” said Tony Vinciquerra, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “For 37 amazing years, Alex was that comforting voice, that moment of escape and entertainment at the end of a long, hard day for millions of people around the world. He was the heart and soul of ‘Jeopardy!’ and he will be deeply missed by everyone who made him part of their lives. Our hearts go out to Jean, Matthew, Emily, and Nicky.”
RELATED: Emotional ‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant Reveals He Learned English By Watching Alex Trebek On TV
Trebek holds the Guinness World Record for the most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter on the same show with over 8,200 episodes of “Jeopardy!”.
According to The Wrap, there are no plans to announce a new host at the moment.
