Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek Suffers Minor Heart Attack

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Longtime Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek was admitted to Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center late Monday night after a minor heart attack, according to AP.

Trebek’s illness comes on the heels of the sudden death of syndication mogul Roger King, who died last Saturday from complications of a stroke.

King’s company, King World Productions, which now is a part of CBS Television Distribution, distributed Jeopardy!, syndication’s second-highest-rated show among households.

Assuming Trebek’s full recovery, Jeopardy!’s production and broadcast schedule is unlikely to change because the show tapes many episodes in advance. According to Jeopardy!’s Web site, Trebek “will be back in the studio for the next scheduled tapings in January."

Trebek has hosted TV’s leading quiz show since 1984. The story of his illness was first reported by Jeopardy!’s sister show, CBS’ Entertainment Tonight.

Paige Albiniak
Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.