'Jeopardy!' On Hold While Alex Trebek Recovers From Surgery
"Jeopardy!" is going on a brief hiatus while host Alex Trebek recovers from surgery. Trebek shared a video with fans explaining his absence.
"Some of you may have heard by now, that during the holiday break, I had a slight medical problem." He goes on to explain that he had a subdural hematoma, blood clots on the brain caused by a fall that happened about two months ago.
According to Deadline, Trebek was admitted to LA's Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on December 15 after experiencing complications from hitting his head in a fall in October. He underwent surgery to remove the hematoma on December 16 and was released from the hospital two days later.
Trebek said that after surgery, his prognosis is "excellent." "I expect to be back in the studio taping more 'Jeopardy!' programs very, very soon," he says in the video.
Taping is expected to resume in mid-January. Several episodes are already in the can, so the broadcast schedule won't be affected much. But the College Championship, which was set to tape now, will now film in March and air in April.
The game show host, who is now 77, has bounced back from other injuries: He suffered a mild heart attack in 2012 and had knee surgery in 2015. You may also recall an incident in 2011, when he injured an Achilles tendon after chasing a burglar who had broken into his San Francisco hotel room. Do not mess with the Trebek!
He just re-signed through 2020 to keep hosting "Jeopardy!," which will be the show's 36th season. That more than cements his Guinness World Record (presented in 2014) for hosting the most game show episodes ever.
[Via Deadline]