Beloved Game Show Host Passes Away After Battle with Cancer

Game shows have long been a strange little part of American history.  They act as a constant in our lives, reliably viewed at times and places in which they are notable only for their steadiness.

If you are home sick for the day, it is almost certain that you’re going to be betting along with The Price is Right.  If you’re making dinner, you’re probably hearing Vanna White flipping letters on Wheel of Fortune, And if WOF isn’t up your alley, you can often catch Jeopardy just 30 minutes later.

Although now, there’s no telling what that latter show could look like nowadays.

Alex Trebek, the quick-witted and debonair television host who won over generations of fans at the helm of the popular quiz show “Jeopardy!,” has died after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80.

Trebek died early Sunday morning at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by family and friends, according to a statement released by “Jeopardy!” officials.

“This is an enormous loss for the JEOPARDY! staff, crew and all of Alex’s millions of fans. He was a legend of the industry that we were all lucky to watch night after night for 37 years,” Mike Richards, the show’s executive producer, said in a statement. “Working beside him for the past year and a half as he heroically continued to host JEOPARDY! was an incredible honor. His belief in the importance of the show and his willingness to push himself to perform at the highest level was the most inspiring demonstration of courage I have ever seen. His constant desire to learn, his kindness, and his professionalism will be with all of us forever.”

The well-liked host had contracted cancer some months ago, and his death was a surprise to those who worked on his final tapings.