Alex Trebek Is Still Hosting 'Jeopardy!' Despite a Recent Decline in Health
Feb. 12 2021, Updated 10:49 a.m. ET
Fans of Jeopardy! have been deeply worried for Alex Trebek — earlier this year in March 2019, the 79-year-old game show host announced that he was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer, and after several rounds of treatment, he's going to need more.
After the first few rounds of chemo in May, however, Alex was able to film a 36th season of the show, and he was looking quite healthy. So you might be wondering, "does Alex Trebek wear a wig?" Here's everything you need to know.
Does Alex Trebek wear a wig? His hair looks so real.
The 36th season of Jeopardy! aired earlier this month, according to a press release from Jeopardy.com, and as you would imagine, fans were elated to see he appeared to be in good health.
Despite the fact that Alex had recently finished several rounds of chemotherapy at the time of taping, he was looking happy and healthy while donning a full head of hair. But according to an interview he did with CBS back in May 2019, those locks are not real.
"What the challenge for Jeopardy! viewers is right now is to figure out, 'is that Alex's real hair, or is that a full hair piece?' because they all know that when you start chemo, you lose your hair,'" Alex said in the interview with CBS.
He continued: "So, which is it? Alright. You're looking right now. This is not the real me. No. But on air, I'm told that there were times when the hairpiece looked better than my real hair. So, we'll see how people react to that."
And while his wig is dashing, he was seriously missing his real hair.
Despite the fact that those working on the show preferred his hairpiece, the game show host told CBS he missed his natural hair, and hopes it will have grown back by the end of the summer.
"We have the summer months off, so hopefully my own hair will grow back, because I like my own hair," he said in the interview.
Since then, however, Alex's health has taken a turn for the worse.
It looks like Alex's health problems aren't quite in the past. According to ABC, he lost 12 pounds in one week and his numbers were skyrocketing. So, just in case, his doctors have decided to have him do another round of chemo.
"Cancer is mysterious in more ways than one," he said in an interview with ABC.
Despite his recent decline in health, Alex is still hosting Jeopardy!
Alex is determined to keep working as he continues to battle cancer and undergo chemo. According to the YouTube video he made to announce his illness, he doesn't foresee taking a break from filming.
“I have to host ‘Jeopardy!’ for three more years! So help me. Keep the faith and we’ll win. We’ll get it done.”
Hopefully Alex's health improves and fingers crossed that he achieves his personal goal of having his hair grow back.
Make sure to catch our beloved Alex hosting Jeopardy! every Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET on KABC.
