Alex Trebek Reveals How He'll Say Goodbye to 'Jeopardy!': 'It'll be a Significant Moment For Me'
Alex Trebek has no plans of retiring from Jeopardy! anytime soon. However, the longtime game show host, who was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, has already prepared his final remarks for when the inevitable does arrive.
Trebek opened up on his farewell plans in the ABC News special, What Is Jeopardy? Alex Trebek and America's Most Popular Quiz Show, scheduled to air on the broadcast network on Thursday. Although the 79-year-old is still working—noting the outpour of support from Jeopardy! fans and contestants have helped keep his spirits high—Trebek acknowledged his time may soon be coming to an end.
With that in mind, the father-of-two has already begun considering what his last words on the show may be. "It'll be a significant moment for me," he said.
"But I've kind of, in my mind, rehearsed it already, and what I would do on that day is tell the director, 'Time the show down to leave me 30 seconds at the end. That's all I want,'" Trebek continued. "And I will say my goodbyes and I will tell people, 'Don't ask me who's going to replace me because I have no say whatsoever. But I'm sure that if you give them the same love and attention and respect that you have shown me, then they will be a success and the show will continue being a success. And until we meet again, God bless you and goodbye.'"
Trebek first learned of his cancer diagnosis in March. His health improved following his first round of chemotherapy with doctors claiming the disease was "near remission," but he was ordered to undergo treatment again after his cancer advanced in September.
In the upcoming ABC special, Trebek said he was open to experimenting with a different type of chemotherapy or "something in the trial stage that is not chemotherapy."
"I don't mind experimenting. I've got nothing to lose, so let's go for it," he said.
"I have learned something in the past year and it's this: We don't know when we're going to die," he continued. "Because of the cancer diagnosis, it's no longer an open-ended life, it's a closed-ended life because of the terrible...survival rates of pancreatic cancer. Because of that, and something else that is operating here, people all over America and abroad have decided they want to let me know now, while I'm alive, about the impact that I've been having on their existence."
He added: "They have come out and they have told me, and my gosh, it makes me feel so good."
Despite his diagnosis, Trebek continues to film episodes of Jeopardy!, and is expected to host the upcoming Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time tournament, which kicks off in 2020. The Canada native is contracted to host the show through 2022, and told ABC News he would maintain his position "as long as my skills have not diminished."
He's remaining otherwise active, too. Trebek hosted the annual Jeopardy! holiday party for staffers at L.A. hot spot Vitellos on December 20 and was spotted attending a Lakers Game with his wife of nearly 30 years, Jean Currivan Trebek, on Christmas day, according to People magazine's website.
The full ABC special, What Is Jeopardy! Alex Trebek and America's Most Popular Quiz Show, airs Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
