Alex Trebek 'regrets' going public with cancer battle and says he's 'nearing end' of life

Trebek says he's not afraid of the possibility of death

Jeopardy host Alex Trebek says he has some regrets about going public with his pancreatic cancer battle and says he is nearing the end of his life.

Trebek reflected on the illness in a recent interview with CTV, during which he told journalist Lisa LaFlamme​: “The thought of the pancreatic cancer does not frighten me.”

“You’re not afraid of dying?” LaFlamme asked him.

“No. Not afraid of dying,” Trebek replied, adding: “I’m 79 years old. Hey, I’ve lived a good life, a full life, and I’m nearing the end of that life.

“I know that. I’m not going to delude myself, so if it happens, it happens.”

Trebek first announced he had been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in March, prompting a wave of public support from celebrities and fans.

He kept hosting Jeopardy! through treatment and in August announced his return for a new season of the show, saying he was “on the mend” and that he was done with chemotherapy.

However, Trebek said last month he would resume chemotherapy after his test results had deteriorated “dramatically and quickly”.

The beloved TV host said in his recent interview that he has now started this second round of chemotherapy and that he and his team would keep exploring treatment options ”until we either win or lose”.

Trebek explained that he has been able to keep working on the set of Jeopardy! despite the toll that cancer has taken on his physical health, because he gets energised each time announcer Johnny Gilbert introduces him for a new episode.

Eventually, though, Trebek said he may end his three-decade tenure on the game show if his performance suffers to the point that he’s bothered by it.

“I will keep [hosting the show] as long as my skills do not diminish, and they have started to diminish,” he added.

“I talk to the producers about it all the time. I say, look I’m slurring my words. My tongue doesn’t work as well as it used to. The chemo has caused sores inside my mouth. It makes it difficult for me to speak and enunciate properly. ... I notice those things and I’m sure there are observant members of the television audience who notice also.”

Trebek has been outspoken about his illness and treatment ever since his announcement in March, something he now says he partially regrets.

“There are moments when I have some regrets about having gone public with it because I think I’m being ... there’s a little too much of Alex Trebek out there and I regret that,” he said.

He explained that a lot of people have been coming to him for “help” and “reassurance”, adding: “I don’t know if I’m strong enough or intelligent enough to help alleviate some of that despair.”

Jeopardy! is currently in its 36th season and remains hosted by Trebek.