Trebek back at work after diagnosis
Alex Trebek was back to work less than one week after announcing his Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
“We are taping today, and Alex is here and behind his lectern as scheduled,” a Jeopardy! spokesperson told CNN and CBS on Tuesday.
In his YouTube announcement on March 6 sharing his diagnosis, the 78-year-old host told viewers that he planned to return to work and, eventually, beat the disease.
“Now normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working. And with the love and support of my family and friends, and with the help of your prayers, also, I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease.”
Earlier this week, Olivia Newton-John, who has faced cancer three times, shared words of encouragement with Trebek. “I sent him a message saying, ‘I know you can get through this’ and ‘Don’t listen to stage 4 and all of (that),” she told Entertainment Tonight.
Jeopardy! normally films its run of weekly shows over the course of two filming days. Trebek worked Tuesday and Wednesday last week, releasing his video announcement at the end of his Wednesday filming day. He returned Tuesday to work his usual two-day filming schedule.