Alex Trebek Health Update: Host Returns To ‘Jeopardy!’ After Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis

Alex Trebek made his big return to Jeopardy! this week for the first time since being diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in March.

The 79-year-old Canadian, who last month finished his chemotherapy treatments, returned to television Monday night to host the Season 36 premiere of the trivia game show.

Alex Trebek Health Update

“Today, ‘Jeopardy!’ begins its 36th season on the air, and I’m happy to report I’m still here,” Trebek said to open the show.

Trebek told People magazine in May that his health was already doing so well that his doctors had said he was “near remission.”

“It’s kind of mind-boggling,” Trebek said at the time. “The doctors said they hadn’t seen this kind of positive result in their memory … some of the tumors have already shrunk by more than 50 percent.”

The host noted that he survival rate for those with pancreatic cancer is 9%, a revelation that left him crying “tears of joy.”

Jeopardy! fans on social media delighted at seeing Trebek return for Monday night’s season premiere.

In Monday night’s episode of the game show, returning champion Jason Zuffranieri won his seventh straight game to increase his total earnings to $166,500.