One of the most recognizable faces on TV – with or without a mustache – is that of Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, and for a while there, it seemed as if his 30+ year career streak might have been ending sooner rather than later. But it appears as if all that talk and worry was for naught, as Trebek has signed a new deal with Sony Pictures Television to stick around as the answer-giver on Jeopardy! through 2017-2018 for Season 34.
For those of us who requested Inevitabilities for $200, Trebek’s confirmed contract extension isn’t all that surprising, though that may have more to do with a mental unwillingness to see anyone else standing behind that podium. I mean, he holds the Guinness World Record for the number of episodes he’s hosted, so he must continue! But at 74 years old, Trebek is no spring chicken, and a second heart attack suffered a few years ago seemed like it might be sideline the host for more than just a month But it didn’t.
Additionally, there were rumors that sprouted up in 2013 that Trebek would likely choose not to renew his contract past the 2016 expiration, which reportedly got Sony Pictures TV on the hunt for replacement hosts. (Matt Lauer was the top choice, followed by Brian Williams. Eesh.) But Trebek came out and said those rumors were all hot air.
Then there was that incident during a taping of Kids Jeopardy! last year, as revealed through leaked Sony emails, where Trebek was so pissed off over a whiny mother that he made it sound like he might walk away from the show. He ended up calming down, but it was a strange reminder that Trebek’s time on Jeopardy! isn’t always guaranteed to audiences.
But seriously, how could someone turn down a job where you can tell people how to properly pronounce Josse Lieferinxe’s name while listening to stories like this.
Trebek isn’t the only game show host that we’ll continue seeing for the next few years, either. Deadline reports Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak and his co-host Vanna White have also signed on through the 2017-2018 season. Wheel of Fortune is currently in the middle of Season 32, and it doesn’t look like it’ll be ending any time soon.
