Late Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek was an ‘absolute warrior’ during the final recordings of the game show, which aired this week, according to the show’s executive producer.
Trebek died on November 8 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, but continued to film Jeopardy until the end.
According to executive producer Mike Richards, who appeared on Today today on Monday morning, Trebek was in “huge pain” for the past few episodes, but made a “Herculean” effort to be there.
Icon: Late Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek (seen in 2019) was an ‘absolute warrior’ during the final recordings of the game show, which aired this week, according to the show’s executive producer.
Star: Mike Richards said Trebek was in ‘huge pain’ in the last few episodes, but made a ‘Herculean’ effort to be there
Trebek passed away at the age of 80 after a two-year battle with cancer, but continued to host the Jeopardy program! – that he faced since 1984 – until a few days before his death.
“He was an absolute warrior,” said Richards.
‘And what he was able to do by giving himself back to the set, recording those final episodes … we didn’t know it would be his final episodes and neither would he. But it was Herculean.
“He was in huge pain,” he added. – He was, you know, ten days from passing away. And you won’t feel that in any of these [final] episodes. He is strong. He looks great. He’s funny. And he is incredible. ‘
Richards admitted that a ‘normal person’ probably would have stopped filming a year and a half before Trebek, considering that he was receiving chemotherapy once a week while filming.
Strength: Richards remembered how in the week before the final episodes, Trebek was in the hospital and called to say he planned to continue filming
“I think there was a certain level of professionalism,” he said. ‘I think he really understood the importance of the show and what it meant to people, and to make what I always said, he made being smart something cool. So I think it was all that for him.
‘And I think it’s about, you know, he wrote an autobiography that described his childhood, and that kind of blue collar worker, I’m going to come in and work [attitude]. And that is what he did. ‘
Richards remembered how in the week before the final episodes, Trebek was at the hospital and called him to say he planned to continue shooting.
“He calls me and says, ‘Mike, I’m going to be fine. I will record. I managed to eat gelatin today. ‘ And I said, “Alex, this is great, but it doesn’t mean that you’re going to be ready to host five episodes of a game show”, which is a huge effort, and he said not to cancel. I will be there, ‘he said.
Trebek’s final episodes will air this week, including today’s episode, which includes a special moment.
Finale: Trebek’s final episodes will air this week, including tonight’s episode, which includes a special moment. The host is seen in 2012
“In this very special and unbelievable final week, he comes and gives a talk about the importance of union and staying together and that the world is struggling, but we have to get through this together,” said Richards.
Long ago: Trebek hosted the show for 37 consecutive seasons, starting in 1984; he is photographed with his wife Jean in 1990
– And we had chills. And, you know, there are specific moments in Jeopardy! when you clap and there are times when you are quiet.
‘And usually in his monologue, he went out, gave a statement and they went to the categories.
‘Well, there aren’t that many people in the studio because of COVID. And we all burst into applause.
‘And you don’t see it on camera, but while he’s going into the categories, he sees us starting to applaud and he kind of looks at us like that, what are you guys doing? And we were so moved that we had to applaud. ‘
As for who Trebek thought his successor should be, Richards said he ‘mentioned a few names’, but wanted to stay out of that decision.
– No one will replace him and he knew it. As humble as it was, he knew there was no chance of that, ”said Richards.
‘He’s someone intelligent and reliable, who loves the show. That was what he wanted. ‘