Alex Trebek chokes up in emotional new interview on cancer battle
Alex Trebek is emotionally opening up, and sharing some more good news with fans, as he continues to fight pancreatic cancer.
The Jeopardy! host, who in 2019 was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, spoke with Good Morning America on Monday about the "good days" and "bad days" he has experienced while undergoing treatment, describing recently feeling "like I want to die" and worrying that he's a burden to his wife, Jean.
"I feel like I'm a terrible burden to her, and that bothers me tremendously," Trebek said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trebek went on to choke up while discussing the support he's received from his wife throughout his cancer battle, explaining that she has told him he's not a burden and that she's been a "saint."
"She has so much goodness in her that she is always giving out, always putting out to help me get over difficult moments, and there have been some difficult moments," Trebek said. "And I'm just in awe of the way she handles it."
Trebek says that, should the current treatment he's undergoing not succeed, he won't go to any "extraordinary measures to ensure my survival," as "if the quality of life is not there, it's hard sometimes to push" and keep going. But after recently sharing with viewers that his treatment is "paying off," Trebek told GMA that "I expect to be around" in February to mark two years since he was diagnosed, and his results show that he's "going in the right direction." Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Earth's mini-moon was the moon all along
Under the radar More lunar rocks are likely floating in space
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: February 4, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: February 4, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published