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‘Jeopardy!’: Robin Roberts Says ‘It’s An Incredible Honor’ To Host Show on Alex Trebek’s Birthday

“Jeopardy!” guest host Robin Roberts did not miss a chance to honor longtime host Alex Trebek on his birthday on Thursday, July 22.

Trebek, who died in 2020 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, hosted “Jeopardy!” for 37 seasons. Roberts, a co-host of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” is behind the host podium this week. She took to Twitter and offered some kind words about Trebek on this day.

Roberts wrote in her tweet, “It’s an incredible honor to be the @Jeopardy guest host on such a special day. Thinking of Jeanie and Alex’s beloved family.”

Trebek was born on July 22, 1940, in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He began his broadcasting career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. In the 1970s, Trebek relocated to Los Angeles and soon found himself hosting game shows like “High Rollers” and “Classic Concentration” over the years.

When “Jeopardy!” came back to syndicated television in 1984, show creator Merv Griffin picked Trebek to host it.

‘Jeopardy!’ Guest Host Also Had Cancer Issues Back In 2007

Now Roberts also has dealt with cancer issues in her own life. In 2007, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Roberts underwent surgery and completed eight chemotherapy treatments in January 2008.

Sports fans may remember Roberts from her time with ESPN, where she would team up with then-ESPN host Charley Steiner for “SportsCenter.” Steiner also moved along from ESPN as he’s now the lead radio play-by-play voice for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Jeopardy!” has been through a series of guest hosts this season. While no final decision has been made on who will take over permanently, a lot of fans have thrown support behind actor LeVar Burton.

Burton, who hosted “Reading Rainbow” and played on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” has publicly made it know that he’d love to host the game show. He will get a guest-host week in August, so fans can watch and see how Burton handles the show’s pace.

Guest Host Recalled Words Of Wisdom She Received From Trebek

As Roberts’ week kicked off on “Jeopardy!” on Monday, she fondly recalled some words of wisdom that Trebek gave her.

“Of course, I’m honored to be here, guest-hosting ‘Jeopardy!‘ and paying tribute to the great Alex Trebek,” Roberts said. I was blessed to get to know him well over the years. I have to say his spirit is very much here, very present.

“I’m also looking forward to raising a lot of money for charity,” Roberts said. “Let’s do it. All right, let’s get into the game. It’s not about you, it’s all about (the) contestants … I wish you well. Let’s see the categories.”

Roberts will return to her regular duties on “Good Morning America” after her week-long stretch as guest host ends on Friday.