Alex Trebek, Longtime 'Jeopardy' Host, Has Died at 80 After His Battle with Cancer

Alex Trebek, longtime host of the game show Jeopardy, has died. Jeopardy confirmed the news on Twitter Sunday, prompting an outpouring of love for Trebek.

  • On Sunday afternoon, news broke that Alex Trebek had died at the ago of 80.
  • Trebek was best known at the longtime host of the trivia game show Jeopardy and had publicly revealed his battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in March 2019. 
  • The Jeopardy! Twitter account shared the news of Trebek's passing on Sunday and fans quickly responded with an outpouring of love and support with "Final Jeopardy" soon trending on the platform. 

Alex Trebek, best known as the beloved, longtime host of the game show Jeopardy, has died at the age of 80. Trebek hosted the iconic trivia show for 36 years, since its current syndicated version premiered in 1984, and was contracted to continue hosting through 2022 at the time of his death. Trebek's final episode of Jeopardy! is slated to air on Christmas Day 2020. 

The Jeopardy Twitter account shared the news with fans of the series on Sunday afternoon. While the cause of death was not explicitly stated, Trebek revealed in March 2019 that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

"Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex," the Jeopardy account tweeted. 

Immediately after news of Trebek's death broke, fans took to Twitter to share an outpouring of love and support for Trebek and his family. The phrase "Final Jeopardy," the iconic final segment on the show, quickly began trending as fans shared their reactions to the news. Many fans, appropriately, phrased their tributes to the late host in the form of a question.

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Weekend Editor at Cosmopolitan

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.