Alex Trebek, beloved 'Jeopardy!' host, dies at 80

"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek died Sunday after battling pancreatic cancer for nearly two years. He was 80.

Trebek died at home early Sunday with family and friends surrounding him, "Jeopardy!" studio Sony said in a statement.

He had publicly announced his diagnosis with advanced pancreatic cancer in March 2019.

The show also shared the news on Twitter, writing "“Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex.”

Trebek presided over the beloved quiz show for more than 30 years.

He was a master of the format, engaging in friendly banter with contestants and appearing genuinely pleased when they answered correctly.

He was also able to move the game along in a brisk no-nonsense fashion whenever people struggled for answers.
The Canadian-born Trebek was more than qualified for the job, having started his game show career on "Reach for the Top" in his native country.

Moving to the U.S. in 1973, he appeared on "The Wizard of Odds," "Classic Concentration," "To Tell the Truth," "High Rollers," "The $128,000 Question" and "Double Dare."

Among tributes posted, Gov. Phil Murphy tweeted "A: Millions of Americans welcomed this iconic game show host into their homes every night, and he will be sorely missed. Q: Who is Alex Trebek?"

Also paying homage, Ken Jennings, who still holds the record for the longest winning streak on "Jeopardy!" with 74 wins.

"Alex wasn’t just the best ever at what he did. He was also a lovely and deeply decent man, and I’m grateful for every minute I got to spend with him," Jennings tweeted.

He added "Thinking today about his family and his Jeopardy! family—which, in a way, included millions of us."

Pat Sajak, longtime host of "Wheel of Fortune," also remembered his peer and friend on Twitter, writing "Alex Trebek’s courage, grace and strength inspired millions and awed those of us who knew him. A tremendous loss for his family, friends, co-workers and countless viewers. I was honored to be a friend and a part of his professional family for all these years. A very sad day."