Alex Trebek appears in first of final Jeopardy! episodes with posthumous message of hope

Late host continued to record episodes until right before his death

The late Alex Trebek used the first in his final string of Jeopardy! episodes to deliver a message of kindness and generosity.

In Monday night’s (4 January) episode, the beloved host emphasised that it was the “season of giving”.

“I know you want to be generous with your family, your friends, your loved ones, but today I’d like you to go one step further,” he said.

“I’d like you to open up your hands and open up your hearts to those who are still suffering because of Covid-19 – people who are suffering through no fault of their own.”

The posthumous message was recorded in late October, but arrived as the US suffers continued turmoil during the pandemic.

Trebek concluded his introduction by encouraging viewers to do their bit in helping to make the world a better place.

“We’re trying to build a gentler, kinder society. If we all pitch in just a little bit, we’re going to get there,” he said.

Trebek died of stage four pancreatic cancer on 8 November, 2020, aged 80.

Throughout his illness, he provided fans with updates on his health along with continued messages of hope, via the show’s official social media channels.