Things are looking positive! Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek revealed to fans on Wednesday, April 17, he’s “feeling good.”
The longtime game show host, 78, shared in March that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
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“Some of you may recall that at the beginning of the season, I promised you that we had some surprises for you,” he started in a video posted to the show’s Instagram and YouTube accounts. “Well, of course, I had no idea at that time that there were some surprises in store for me as well.”
“So here, on the last day of taping for our 35th anniversary season, I wanted once again to thank you for your continuing messages of encouragement and support, particularly the many cards I’ve received from young people,” he continued. “I am touched beyond words.”
“I’ve always tried to be straight with you, and I’m not going to stop now, so despite what you may have heard, I’m feeling good,” he shared. “I’m continuing with my therapy, and we — by we, the staff — is already working on our next season, the 36th year of ‘Jeopardy!’”
He wrapped up with an optimistic message: “I look forward to seeing you once again in September with all kinds of good stuff.”
According to Jeopardy!, Trebek hosted 50 episodes of the game show after revealing his diagnosis, and plans to concentrate on his cancer battle the next few months. The show is scheduled to begin filming for season 36 in July.
Pancreatic cancer has one of the highest mortality rates, with about 91 percent of patients dying within five years of being diagnosed, according to Hirschberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. But despite such dire odds for beating the disease, Trebek has vowed — with good humor — to win his battle.
“I plan to beat the low survival rate for this disease,” he declared in the video announcing his diagnosis. “Truth told, I have to! Because under the terms of my contract, I have to host ‘Jeopardy!’ for three more years. So help me. Keep the faith, and we’ll win.”
Trebek has been hosting the long-running game show since 1984, when it made its syndicated debut.
