(KNX 1070) -- Alex Trebek announced Wednesday that he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
He plans to beat the disease's low survival rate with the love and support of family and friends and with prayers from viewers, Trebek said.
Trebek lightened the difficult message with humor: He said he must beat the odds because his "Jeopardy!" contract requires he host the quiz show for three more years.
"So help me. Keep the faith and we'll win. We'll get it done," he said, his voice calm and steady.
Trebek, born in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada started his career in 1961 on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
He and his wife, Jean Currivan, have two children.
Ken Jennings, a longtime "Jeopardy!" player who took part in the show's "All-Star Games" that ended Tuesday, posted a tweet in which he compared Trebek to the late TV journalist Walter Cronkite.
I’ve said this before but Alex Trebek is in a way the last Cronkite: authoritative, reassuring TV voice you hear every night, almost to the point of ritual.
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings)
March 6, 2019 In 1973, Trebek moved to the U.S. and became host of the NBC show, "Wizard of Odds," until the 1980s when he landed the "Jeopardy!" gig.
The Sajak family is deeply saddened to hear of Alex Trebek’s struggle with cancer. Our hearts go out to him and his family. But there is no one I know who is stronger and more determined, and I would never bet against him. We, and the entire country, are pulling for you, Alex.
— Pat Sajak (@patsajak)
March 6, 2019 In 2018, the "Jeopardy" host took a leave of absence for blood cot surgery on his brain, after a fall. Additionally, he suffered heart attacks in 2007 and 2012
Associated Press contributed to this story.
