Longtime “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek died on Nov. 8 at his home, surrounded by family and friends. His last day in the studio was Oct. 29.
But Trebek will continue to appear on the show, as his pre-taped “Jeopardy!” episodes will air through Christmas Day, according to the official “Jeopardy!” website.
“Today’s show features a special message on behalf of everyone in the Jeopardy! family,” the show tweeted Monday afternoon. “Alex taped shows through December 25th, 2020. They will air as he intended, in his honor.”
That’s not the last we’ll see of Trebek, either. On Sunday, actor Ryan Reynolds revealed that Trebek filmed a cameo in the upcoming sci-fi movie “Free Guy,” directed by “Stranger Things” executive producer Shawn Levy. The movie has yet to announce a release date due to the ongoing pandemic, according to People.
Trebek hosted several game shows — including a brief stint on “Wheel of Fortune” — before landing on “Jeopardy!” in 1984. Over nearly 37 seasons, he hosted more than 8,200 “Jeopardy!” episodes and set a Guinness World Records mark for hosting the most episodes of a single game show, according to the “Jeopardy!” website.
Being on the set of “Jeopardy!” invigorated Trebek.
For 18 months, as he underwent treatment for pancreatic cancer, Trebek carried on in his longtime role as “Jeopardy!” host.
“That passion for his work — it’s a kind of calling,” Trebek’s wife, Jean Trebek, wrote in an essay earlier this year. “He truly looks forward to getting to the studio at 5:45 a.m.— so he can do several episodes in a single day. It rejuvenates him.”
He won the Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding game show host seven times and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
But for all of his accomplishments, Trebek was adamant he was not the star of the show. In his memoir, he shared his belief that the show would outlive him and continue to be just as popular.
“‘Jeopardy!’ will be just fine. It doesn’t matter who’s the host,” he wrote. I think ‘Jeopardy!’ can go on forever.”
At this time, “Jeopardy!” is not announcing plans for a new host.