Alex Trebek, the beloved “Jeopardy!” host since 1984, has died at age 80. The TV icon had long since battled stage 4 pancreatic cancer, announcing the news back in March 2019.
“Jeopardy!” shared the news via the show’s Twitter account. Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends.
Disney fans will always remember Alex Trebek as he hosted a segment of “Jeopardy!” in the now-extinct Ellen’s Energy Adventure attraction located inside the Universe of Energy pavilion at EPCOT. Other cameos include special appearances on “Pepper Ann” and a mention in “The Muppets”.
Hello, contestants. Welcome to our program, and good luck to you in the game. Here are the categories for the first round of play: Solar energy. Wind power. Energy from water. Fossil fuels. Fusion. And finally… Gas. Ellen, since this is your dream, we’ll let you make the first selection.
— Alex Trebek, Ellen’s Energy Adventure
Bob Iger, Chairman of The Walt Disney Company, expressed his condolences for the passing of Alex Trebek:
“Jeopardy!” producers have indicated they are not announcing a new host right now.
Too bad the attraction had already been gutted. They could have temporarily brought it back like with Captain EO upon Michael Jackson’s passing.