When you’re discussing pop culture icons, you definitely have to include the great Alex Trebek in the conversation. He made a name for himself as a broadcaster early in his career, but he truly struck gold as a game show host in the ‘70s. Despite his many credits, it was his 37-season stint at the host of the Jeopardy! revival that made him a household name. Trebek sadly passed away in 2020 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, but his legacy lives on through those who knew him. Jeff Probst is one of the people who was fortunate enough to have befriended him and, three years after Trebek’s passing the Survivor host spoke about their relationship.
November is Pacreatic Awareness Month and, amid that, Stand Up to Cancer promoted the Alex Trebek Fund. Dedicated to the beloved TV personality, the purpose of the initiative is to expand research on the disease in order to improve treatment methods. In conjunction with this, the organization released a video promoting it, which featured interviews from Trebek’s wife, Jean, one of his professional successors, Ken Jennings and more. Jeff Probst shared a snippet of it on his Instagram story along with a sweet comment about his bond with Trebek:
Alex was a master at his craft and a mentor to me. Always kind, always encouraging. And the courage and grace he showed during his battle with cancer says it all. This is a beautiful tribute to an amazing human.
Leave it to the late host to impart his wisdom to those who would follow in his footsteps. While the bulk of us can’t say that we knew the Jeopardy! host personally, the CBS veteran’s description of him surely falls in line with what many of us imagined him to be like off camera. That “grace” the Canadian-American exuded while struggling with his cancer treatments was nothing short of remarkable. I also agree that the tribute created by Stand Up To Cancer in his honor is definitely befitting of him. Check out the Survivor star’s post down below:
After he died at the age of 80, Alex Trebek was widely mourned, with countless fans and celebrities alike paying their respects to him. Some of the biggest Jeopardy! winners in history – including Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer – honored him. Additionally, actor Ryan Reynolds penned a tribute to Trebek while also revealing at the time that the late star cameoed in his film Free Guy.
It’s particularly sweet to see Jeff Probst share his recollections of his colleague now, considering that the reality competition star is carrying the torch (no pun intended) in a sense. Like his old buddy, Probst is now one of the longest-serving hosts in the history of TV. He’s endeared himself to loyal viewers, providing them and contestants with keen information on the key to winning Survivor.
Though Alex Trebek is no longer with us, it’s wonderful to see that his legacy lives on in such a beautiful way. He’ll surely remain in our hearts, as people continue to share their memories of him.
Jeopardy! airs daily in syndication, while Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS as part of the 2023 TV schedule. Episodes are subsequently available to stream using a Paramount+ subscription.
