Jan 07, 2021 A pair of game show legends are paying their respects to another. Pat Sajak and Vanna White are speaking out about Alex Trebek and how good he was as a person, both personally and professionally.
Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak are two of television’s most famous game show hosts, both having hosted their respective shows, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, for nearly 40 years.
Sadly, Trebek died on Sunday, Nov. 8, following a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. And now, the Wheel of Fortune host has issued a statement about his colleague’s death.
Pat Sajak reacted to Alex Trebek’s death in a statement on Twitter
- A pair of game show legends are paying their respects to another. Pat Sajak and Vanna White are speaking out about Alex Trebek and how good he was as a person, both personally and professionally.
- We don't deserve Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak! Let's be real, these two men are probably the most beloved game show hosts of all time. Trebek has been hosting Jeopardy since 1984 and Sajak has been.
Pat Sajak And Alex Trebek Young
Jeopardy!‘s Twitter account announced Trebek’s death around 12:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 8. The statement said the host died earlier that morning. He was 80 years old.
“Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends,” the tweet read. “Thank you, Alex.”
In an expanded statement on Jeopardy.com, the show confirmed that new episodes of Jeopardy! will air through Christmas 2020. There is no new information as of yet in regards to a replacement for Trebek on the show.
“Alex was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2019, and he continued to host Jeopardy! for the next 18 months,” the website’s statement read. “Throughout that time, Alex was open and public about his battle with cancer. Jeopardy! episodes hosted by Alex will air through December 25, 2020 (his last day in the studio was October 29). The show is not announcing plans for a new host at this time.”
As for Sajak, the 76-year-old posted a rare tweet commenting on Trebek’s passing.
“Alex Trebek’s courage, grace and strength inspired millions and awed those of us who knew him,” he tweeted. “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.”
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Were Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek friends?
Sajak started hosting Wheel of Fortune in 1981, and Trebek started hosting Jeopardy! three years later in 1984.
While neither Sajak nor Trebek ever claimed to be the closest of friends, the two shared a positive working and personal friendship throughout their tenures as two of cable television’s longest-standing game show hosts.
Both of the hosts have won multiple Emmy Awards for their work. Trebek won the Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host seven times throughout his career. Sajak won the same category three times. Both of the hosts received a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 2011. No doubt, two people who had such similar and unique experiences and successes in their careers had a lot they could bond over.
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Of course, the Canadian-born Jeopardy! host bonded with countless people throughout his storied career, particularly the contestants on his show.
Ken Jennings—whose record-breaking run on the show has led to him now being a consulting producer for the series—also reacted to Trebek’s passing on Twitter.
“Alex wasn’t just the best ever at what he did,” he wrote. “He was also a lovely and deeply decent man, and I’m grateful for every minute I got to spend with him.”
Jennings echoed Sajak’s sentiment on the impact of Trebek’s career in a follow-up tweet that read, “Thinking today about his family and his Jeopardy! family—which, in a way, included millions of us.”
Trebek will surely be missed.
© Provided by People 'There will never be another Alex Trebek and he will truly be missed,' Vanna White saidWheel of Fortune's Pat Sajak and Vanna White are mourning the death of their friend and fellow television host Alex Trebek.
Alex Trebek Pat Sajak April Fools
On Sunday, the longtime Jeopardy! host died at the age of 80 after being diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in March 2019. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Sajak, 74, called Trebek's death a 'tremendous loss.'
'The death of Alex Trebek is a tremendous loss for his family, his friends, his co-workers and the millions of viewers who followed his long and illustrious career,' he said. 'It was an honor for me to be a part of his professional family for nearly 40 years. His strength and courage and grace during his recent health struggles inspired countless others. Alex was truly one of a kind.'
White, 63, echoed Sajak in her own statement to PEOPLE. 'I will cherish the many memories I have shared with Alex Trebek that date back well before either of our careers took off,' she said. 'I will always be in awe of the way he faced the battle he fought so valiantly and I'm devastated to lose my longtime friend.'
White added, 'My heart is with his family, friends, co-workers and fans. There will never be another Alex Trebek and he will truly be missed.'
© Provided by People Pat Sajak, Vanna White, Alex TrebekOur hearts are with our friends at Jeopardy! as they say goodbye to their incredible host, Alex Trebek. He will be greatly missed by all of us. https://t.co/pjEBPcmMHr
— Wheel of Fortune (@WheelofFortune) November 8, 2020Alex 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.
— Pat Sajak (@patsajak) November 8, 2020Sajak also shared his grief 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.'
Members of the Jeopardy! family also remembered the beloved host on Sunday. Ken Jennings, the 74-time champion who recently joined the show as a consulting producer, remembered Trebek as “a lovely and decent man.”
“Alex wasn’t just the best ever at what he did. He was also a lovely and deeply decent man,” he wrote in a touching tribute. “I’m grateful for every minute I got to spend with him.”
A post shared by Vanna White (@officialvannawhite) on Nov 8, 2020 at 12:18pm PST
© Provided by People Eric McCandless via Getty Images Alex TrebekIn a statement to PEOPLE, fellow champion James Holzhauer said, 'Alex Trebek was a legend of American television who will never be forgotten or truly replaced. His courageous fight against cancer was an inspiration to all, and his charitable work touched countless lives. In a time where the country feels deeply divided, Alex will be missed by everyone.'
Trebek is survived by his wife Jean and their two children: son Matthew and daughter Emily. He also has an older daughter Nicky, whom he adopted when he was married to Nicky’s mother, his first wife Elaine Callei.