LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Although 'Jeopardy!' lost its legendary host Alex Trebek a few years ago, the show continues to be associated with him, evening naming its stage after him. Today is his 83rd birthday and the show made sure to celebrate it along with the fans on their social media accounts.
Many fans came forward to share their wishes for the late host and revealed how they continue to miss seeing him in front of the blue curtains. Trebek spent a good chunk of his life on that stage and it would be an understatement to say that he will always persist next to the name of 'Jeopardy!'.
Alex Trebek's time at 'Jeopardy!'
It goes without saying that Trebek is perhaps the primary reason for the success of 'Jeopardy!'. The show had basically gotten written off after it failed to gain audience numbers and the previous host Art Fleming had decided to step down due to creative differences. Trebek joined the show in 1984, starting with two pilots. He was already an established game show host by then, so his entry into 'Jeopardy!' gave the trivia platform instant and immense popularity, making it last for nearly 40 years and counting.
During his time on the 'Jeopardy!' stage, Trebek received several accolades for his work on the game show. He held eight Emmy Awards for being an Outstanding Game Show Host along with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The late host contributed to 37 Seasons of 'Jeopardy!' before he died of pancreatic cancer in 2020, after being diagnosed in March 2019. For his work on over 6,000 episodes of the game show, Trebek has held the Guinness World Record since 2014 for "most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter." He was replaced by co-hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik.
Fans celebrate Alex Trebek's 83rd birthday
Trebek passed away at 80 in 2020 after battling Stage IV cancer. Many were left saddened by the news, given how he was able to win over so many fans over the years. On his birthday, fans took to Twitter to remember the late host. A fan wrote, "Always missed—never forgotten— As a fellow Canadian, I loved how Alex pushed for more Canadian contestants and content on Jeopardy— If possible, YouTube his interview with Lisa LaFlamme—it will show you just how special this man was. Happy Birthday on the Other Side, Alex." Another fan and a past contestant shared a photo of their time on the stage with Trebek, with the tweet saying, "I had the honor of being on the show in 2003 and meeting the legend. A wonderful memory I will always cherish." A fan celebrated with the tweet, "Happy birthday to the GOAT of all GOATs. Still absolutely pains me that A.T is no longer with us. We miss you legend." Several fans confessed that watching the game show was not the same without Trebek and they still miss him when they watch 'Jeopardy!'. One such fan wrote, "Y’all I felt like I knew him personally, it’s still hard for me to watch jeopardy. I miss him." Another one shared, "Happy Birthday Alex. We miss you. No one can ever replace you as Jeopardy host. You were awesome." A fan also wrote, "When Johnny says “now here’s the host of Jeopardy!..”, I still expect to hear “Alex Trebek”."
