Trebek feted in ‘Jeopardy!’ episode

More than two months after Alex Trebek’s death, fans of “Jeopardy!” finally got the chance to say goodbye.

A video tribute to the host closed Friday’s episode of the quiz show, the final one that Trebek taped before pancreatic cancer claimed his life on Nov. 8.

The 90-second montage, set to Hugh Jackman singing the Peter Allen song “Once Before I Go,” is a remembrance showing Trebek’s changing look through his 36 years as host, with moustache and without, with black hair and with gray, with suits from several decades. It celebrated wackier moments of the usually straitlaced Trebek, showing him verbally sparring with contestants and arm-wrestling with one.

Trebek is shown walking on the set pants-less in one clip, dressed as the Statue of Liberty in another and clad as a Trojan soldier in another.

The tribute is still sad and sentimental, though, as Jackman sings “it’s so hard to say goodbyes, when there’s so much that’s left unspoken in your eyes,” and “once before I go, I would like to let you know, that I would do it all again.”

And in its final moments it shows Trebek through signing off through the decades, repeatedly saying, “So long, everybody.”

Trebek died Nov. 8 at age 80 but had pre-taped several weeks of shows that had continued to air. He kept working for nearly two years after his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer, remaining in place at the podium where he had become an institution since starting in 1984. The show will continue next week with a series of interim hosts, starting with veteran “Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings.

The week’s final Trebek episodes began with the host urging viewers to give to others who were suffering during the pandemic.

“We’re trying to build a gentler, kinder society and if we all pitch in just a little bit, we’re going to get there,” Trebek said.

His final shows were scheduled to air Christmas week, but they were put off until this week to give the send-off more exposure.

The episode includes holiday elements, like the category, “Christmas Movies.”

COURTESY OF JEOPARDY! Legenday game show host Alec Trebek made his final appearance on “Jeopardy!” on Friday. It was shown more than two months after his death.