Sad news out of the world of television today, as beloved Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek has revealed that he’s battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Trebek shared his diagnosis with fans in a heartfelt message posted on YouTube. Alex Trebek: I Have Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer “Hi everyone, I have some news to share with all of you and it’s in keeping with my longtime policy of being open and transparent with our Jeopardy! fan base,” Trebek said. “I also wanted to prevent you from reading or hearing some overblown or inaccurate reports regarding my health. So therefore, I wanted to be the one to pass along this information,” the 78-year-old TV legend continued. “Now, just like 50,000 other people in the United States each year, this week I was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Now normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working. “And with the love and 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. Trebek concluded his message with his trademark wry humor, saying: “Truth told, I have to! Because under the terms of my contract, I have to host Jeopardy! for three more years! “So help me. Keep the faith and we’ll win. We’ll get it done. Thank you.” Trebek has been the face of Jeopardy! since the show was revived in 1984 following its original run under host Art Fleming. Considered by many to be the most iconic game show host of television’s modern era, Trebek’s erudition and deadpan wit have endeared him to generations of fans. The news of his grim diagnosis has been met with great concern by Jeopardy ‘s devoted fan base — but many reactions on social media are tinged with the same hope that Trebek encouraged in his announcement. Clearly, Alex is a man who’s looking to the future. In addition to his recently renewed contract with the show, Trebek recently speculated as to who might one day replace him on the show, citing CNN’s Laura Coates, LA Kings announcer Alex Faust and TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz as personal favorites. In the meantime, we hope he’ll continue to provide the answer to the question “who is television’s most courageous host?” for many years to come. Our thoughts go out to Trebek and his family during this difficult time. View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Beat Cancer
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Alex Trebek: Jeopardy Host Reveals Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis
