‘Jeopardy!’ Host Alex Trebek’s Final Tribute Video Released Before Last Episode

Jeopardy! has released a video in honor of Alex Trebek ahead of the show’s final episode with its late host. The final show featuring Trebek airs on Friday, Jan. 8, and will kick off with the video montage, including clips of Trebek laughing with contestants and showing all of the traits that made him a staple in family homes for 36 years. The show continued to pay tribute to Trebek as it closed the video. “Dedicated to Alex Trebek: Forever in our hearts/Always our inspiration,” the video said in the final frame.

The show has been airing pre-taped segments before the host passed. According to show producers, the final episode was a normal taping with Trebek closing out the episode saying,”See you next time.” Apparently, neither Trebek nor producers were aware that this would be his last show.

Trebek died in November of 2020 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer and since then, the show has been hosting tryouts to hopefully find a replacement for the historic host. Jeopardy! master Ken Jennings took the title at one point, but producers are moving in a different direction tapping Katie Couric to stand in as the new host.

The show’s executive producer, Matt Richards spoke about the host’s passing in a statement. “Alex believed in the importance of Jeopardy! and always said that he wanted the show to go on after him,” he wrote. Richards then acknowledged the show’s attempts to bring in other interim hosts. “We will honor Alex’s legacy by continuing to produce the game he loved with smart contestants and challenging clues,” he said. “By bringing in familiar guest hosts for the foreseeable future, our goal is to create a sense of community and continuity for our viewers.”

Another show offering a tribute to the late host, ABC’s The Chase also released a message in honor of the host. Host Sara Haines opened the new series saying, “Before we launch this exciting new game show, we at ABC thought it was only fitting that we dedicate this show to the memory of Alex Trebek, the beloved host of Jeopardy! from 1984 until his recent passing.”

“We all stand on the shoulders of his legacy and hope that The Chase will do him proud,” she continued. “And what better way to honor his legacy than to launch a show that stars Jeopardy!’s greatest champions of all time?… As Alex himself might say, ‘What is The Chase?’”