“Sharing this stage with Alex Trebek was one of the greatest honors in my life,” Jennings said. “There are not many things in life that are perfect, but Alex has done this job pretty perfectly for over 36 years, and it was even better up close. We were blinded by his intelligence, charm and grace.”
He continues: “Like all ‘Jeopardy!’ fans, I miss Alex very much and I thank him for all he has done for us all.Let us be absolutely clear: no one will ever replace the great Alex Trebek, but we can honor him by playing the game he loved . ‘
Jennings said that during the recording of the program, he also kept a special sign of his pocket in a nod to Trebek.
He wrote on Twitter: ‘A friend gives me this piece of quiz history: an audience ticket for Alex’s very first Jeopardy! Pilot from 1983. (‘ALEX TREBEK! PRIZE!’) I kept it in my pocket while I was hosting Danger! This week, as a mascot. “
Jennings holds the record for most wins in the program’s history and has appeared on it more than 100 times.