The question, of course, is, "Who is Alex Trebek?"
The venerable Jeopardy! host — and native of Greater Sudbury — has had an eventful summer and says he's ready to get back to work.
Trebek continues to fight Stage IV pancreatic cancer, recently turned 80, and took the extended pandemic-related hiatus from filming the popular quiz show as an opportunity to grow back some of his famous, oft-talked about facial hair, although recent photos of Trebek show him clean-shaven again.
In a recent video released by Jeopardy! parent company Sony Pictures, Trebek tells fans he is continuing his treatments for cancer. He was diagnosed in February 2019.
"It is paying off," says Trebek, "though it does fatigue me a great deal." As part of his health update for fans, Trebek continues with "my numbers are good and I'm feeling great."
In interviews, Trebek is fiercely proud of his Canadian upbringing and credits his resiliency throughout his health battle to his heritage. Trebek planted the seeds of his quiz show smarts in Canada, as he attended the University of Ottawa. In 2017, Trebek was humbled to receive the Order of Canada.
Last month, Trebek released a book he wrote while the studio was on the prolonged break from filming episodes. "The Answer Is..." is hailed as a highly personal memoir and a "response to the many thousands of fans who sent messages of love, support and encouragement."
On the subject of fan mail, a grateful Trebek also apologized to the loyal followers of Jeopardy! Trebek says, due to the sheer volume of correspondence he is receiving, he "will no longer be able to respond to every request, and none that are sent to my home. Please know that your good wishes are welcome, and I appreciate them all."
He added, in July, "I can't wait to return to the studio and start filming shows for the new season in September," which Trebek and the crew have since done.
