‘Jeopardy’ Fans Will Be Distraught By Latest Trebek News

“Jeopardy!” as we know it could come to an end within the next two years, as longtime host Alex Trebek signaled there’s a good chance he’ll retire once his contract ends in 2020.

Trebek told Harvey Levin on the latest episode of Fox News’s “OBJECTified” that chances are more than 50/50 he’ll retire in 2020 – and he already has a replacement in mind. Trebek told show producers that they should consider Los Angeles Kings play-by-play commentator Alex Faust for the job.

Interestingly, Trebek also floated CNN legal analyst Laura Coates as a replacement in case producers want a woman to fill his shoes.

While it certainly helps that Faust and Trebek share a first name, “Jeopardy!” sans Trebek just wouldn’t be the same. Trebek has hosted the iconic quiz show since 1984, and it’s known for Trebek’s deadpan delivery as much as it is for its answer clues.

Indeed, Trebek’s 29 plus years at the helm of “Jeopardy!” have turned him into a veritable cultural icon, even earning him a popular spoof skit on “Saturday Night Live.” If SNL focused more on “Celebrity Jeopardy!” and less on maligning President Donald Trump, perhaps people would start watching again.

Of course, as synonymous as Trebek is with “Jeopardy!”, he can’t host the show forever. At 78 years old, Trebek has more than earned his retirement – and he’s had his fair share of health scares. Filming of “Jeopardy!” was put on hold in January when Trebek underwent brain surgery for a subdural hematoma after suffering a fall in October 2017. Thankfully, the surgery was a success and Trebek returned to regular hosting duty in mid-January.

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When Trebek does stop hosting, however, he could remain involved in “Jeopardy!” as a producer. But after nearly 30 years of hosting America’s favorite game show, Trebek deserves to sit back and relax. It goes without saying that his replacement, whoever it will be, will have some very large shoes to fill.