Jeopardy! celebrated Alex Trebek with a touching tribute to honor his final episode.
On Friday (January 8), the longtime host’s tenure on the game show came to an emotional end as Jeopardy! aired an episode that took fans on a trip down memory lane with a montage capturing Trebek’s 37 years as the show’s beloved host.
Soundtracking the bittersweet tribute was Peter Allen’s “Once Before I Go,” which can be heard in the background, before the video draws to a close with Trebek’s signature sign-off, “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for spending the time with us. We’ll see you again next week.” As the screen fades to black, the video concludes with a dedication: “Dedicated to Alex Trebek. Forever in our hearts. Always our inspiration.”
Trebek filmed his farewell episode in late-October, just 10 days before his untimely death. Jeopardy! broke the news of the television icon’s passing on November 8, the cause of which is linked to Trebek’s years-long battle with stage IV pancreatic cancer. He was 80.
“Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex,” the show wrote on Twitter at the time.
The tribute comes amid lots of speculation surrounding who will host the show in Trebek’s place, with various outlets reporting several unconfirmed guest hosts. Among them is Jeopardy! all-star, Ken Jennings, who is set to host the show’s first episode on Monday (January 11).
Earlier this week, it was reported that Katie Couric was in talks to serve as interim host on the show as well.
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