'Jeopardy!' Host Ken Jennings Shares Emotional Story About Alex Trebek
It's been four years since the late Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek died from stage 4 pancreatic cancer at age 80. Now, his TV successor Ken Jennings is reflecting on the bond he had with Alex, and he got emotional as he told a story he carries with him to this day.
For the November 8 taping, which marked the four-year anniversary of Alex's death, Ken kicked off the episode by sharing a heart-tugging tribute to Alex and his time hosting the quiz show. Ken decided he'd tell a story of the last time he watched Alex host Jeopardy! and how he invited Ken backstage to speak with him. As the two exchanged greetings, Alex started going through the mail fans sent him every day, which led Ken to a phenomenal realization.
"Today, on the anniversary of his passing, I've been thinking a lot about the last time I ever came here to watch him host," Ken began in a clip posted on Instagram. "It was shortly before the pandemic, and he had announced his cancer diagnosis, and he actually asked if I would come backstage... You would not believe just the tens of thousands of letters and notes and afghans and emails and everything that poured in, and he went through and read everything."
As Ken further explained in his story, Alex expressed how grateful he was for the opportunity to read the kind words people had for him and the impact he made on primetime television. But this also showed Ken how Alex meant more to viewers than just being a TV host — he left a legacy that continues to this day.
"It struck me then that maybe he had never thought much about how much he meant to people as a light entertainer, a quiz show host," he added. "He didn't realize how important he was to people who watched Jeopardy!... It was just nice to be able to see him and think about how he thought about his life that way. He didn't realize what he meant to us, which was everything."
Upon seeing Ken's poignant speech remembering Alex, fans couldn't help but commend him for his words in the comments.
"Thank you Ken. I’m so glad to hear Alex knew how much we loved him while he was still here 💜💔💜," one person wrote. "What is we 💙 you, Alex?" another penned. "We still love you Alex. Thank you Ken and the crew for your continued dedication. So long," a different viewer added.
While Ken's tribute certainly pulled heartstrings, this isn't the first time he's honored Alex. Back in January 2021, he honored Alex when he appeared on television as Jeopardy! host for the first time. He later spoke with Vulture in October 2022 about the last conversation he had with Alex, which included discussions of him stepping in as a temporary host the weekend he eventually passed.
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