Alex Trebek Reveals When He Plans to Retire From ‘Jeopardy’

Alex Trebek is finally considering retirement from Jeopardy!, but not any time too soon.

Trebek appeared on the most recent episode of OBJECTified with Harvey Levin, the founder of TMZ. In discussing his lengthy career, Trebek said that he is thinking about retiring after his current contract with Jeopardy! is up, which will be in 2020.

Trebek has been hosting the quiz show since 1984. Now 78 years old, he is still not in a hurry to get off the air. He called the odds of signing a new contract with Jeopardy! “50/50 and a little less.” However, when asked if he could imagine life outside of the show, he said simply: “Sure.”

Trebek’s episode of OBJECTified aired on Sunday, Jul. 29. His interview spanned everything from his childhood to his personal life, tracing the meteoric rise of his career in broadcasting. He was described as a “young hell-raiser” back home in Canada, and even said that his mother sent him off to boarding school in the hopes of whipping him into shape.

Trebek took his first job in broadcast while trying to pay his way through school. He took a summer job with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as an announcer, but he joined the full-time staff in the fall. He finished school while working full time, and stayed with the company afterward.

After confirming that retirement was a real possibility for him, Trebek had a couple of recommendations for his replacement. He showed his hope that the show would go on by suggesting both a male and female candidate to become Jeopardy!‘s new host.

First, he suggested that Alex Faust, play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Kings, take his place.

“I mentioned to my producer before that the fellow who does play-by-play for the Los Angeles Kings, they should consider him,” he said.

As for a woman who could take the job, Trebek thought Laura Coates, CNN legal analyst should take his place.

“There is an attorney Laura Coates, she’s African American and she appears on some of the cable news shows from time to time,” he said.

Coates saw the interview and responded on Twitter on Monday morning.

Jeopardy

Fans have at least two more years to get their fill of Trebek on Jeopardy! New episodes begin in September on ABC.