Over the years, Daytime Emmy Award winner Alex Trebek has become synonymous with “Jeopardy!” The longtime host has earned the trust and admiration of countless viewers across the nation.
The widespread love for Trebek means the personal news he shared on YouTube today came hard for “Jeopardy!” fans.
“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,” said Trebek.
He explained that he wanted to make this announcement himself to prevent fans from reading or hearing “some overblown or inaccurate reports” in regard to his health.
“Just like 50,000 other people in the United States each year, this week, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer,” shared Trebek.
While the news he broke was devastating, the 78-year-old’s message maintained a surprisingly positive tone delivered in true game show host form.
“Now, normally the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m gonna fight this, and I’m gonna keep working,” announced the hopeful host before asking for prayers.
“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,” he continued.
Trebek jokingly quipped he had to beat pancreatic cancer since the terms of his contract require him to host “Jeopardy!” for three more years.
The endearing host of America’s favorite game show left fans with a final charge to “Keep the faith and we’ll win. We’ll get it done.”
Watch Alex Trebek’s announcement in full below:
