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Alex Trebek at the Emmys 2013
Photo:
Danny Moloshok / REUTERS
The legendary TV presenter Alex Trebek is dead. This was announced by the quiz show "Jeopardy" he moderated on Twitter.
Trebek had cult status in the USA.
He moderated "Jeopardy" from September 1984 until shortly before his death - the long running time earned him an entry in the Guinness Book of Records.
Trebek received four Grammys for his work and was honored with one star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
He played himself in guest appearances on the TV series "Golden Girls", "Die Nanny" and "How I Met Your Mother".
Trebek had made a tumor public in a short video message at the beginning of last year: "Like 50,000 other people in the USA every year, I was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer this week."
Pancreatic cancer is considered a particularly aggressive disease, in Germany only every tenth patient survives.
After the diagnosis, Trebek decided to continue working - and acted fiercely: He beat the statistics on the low survival rate.
"To be honest, I have to: Because my contract stipulates that I have to moderate 'Jeopardy' for another three years."
According to the announcement, Alex Trebek fell asleep peacefully on Sunday with his family and close friends.
He was 80 years old.
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mxw / Reuters / AP