Beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek has completed the last round of his chemotherapy treatment and is ready to get back to work five months after announcing his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer.
“I’ve gone through a lot of chemotherapy, and thankfully, that is now over,” Trebek said in a video posted Thursday to the show’s social media accounts. “I’m on the mend, and that’s all I can hope for right now.”
Production for season 36 of the popular trivia show is now underway, according to a report from CNN. Episodes are slated to begin airing on local TV stations Sept. 9.
“Let me tell you,” Trebek said, “it’s going to be a good year.”
The 79-year-old TV personality revealed in March he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer . At the time, he vowed to fight the disease “with the love and support of my family and friends, and with the help of your prayers.”
Then, in late May, Trebek shared what he described as a “mind-boggling” update, crediting his speedy recovery to the number of people praying for his healing.
“I told the doctors, ‘This has to be more than just the chemo,’ and they agreed it could very well be an important part of this,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of love out there headed in my direction and a lot of prayer, and I will never, ever minimize the value of that.”
Trebek was, for a season, struggling with “deep sadness,” but now things are looking up for the beloved entertainment icon.