'Jeopardy' Host Alex Trebek Has Brain Surgery, Takes Leave of Absence
The game show "Jeopardy" will temporarily stop taping in the next few weeks as host Alex Trebek takes a leave of absence following a brain surgery. Producers confirmed that the 77-year-old quiz show host is recovering at his home after his December operation.
In a video post, Trebek revealed that he underwent surgery for subdural hematoma in December. After a bad fall a few months before, doctors found blood clots inside his brain, which required the surgery at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
"The prognosis is excellent and I expect to be back in the studio taping more 'Jeopardy' programs very, very soon," Trebek stated.
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Trebek, who has been hosting the game show since 1984, previously suffered a heart attack in 2007. Even with his health scares, however, the host isn't retiring anytime soon.
"Jeopardy" episodes are usually taped months ahead, which means that the syndicated quiz show will still have episodes for airing in the coming weeks. Producers, however, might delay the airing of its yearly college championship until April.
A subdural hematoma, or bleeding in the brain, results from minor head injuries. Older people are more vulnerable to this complication.
The pool of blood in the brain presses on the brain cells, which causes headaches that won't go away. When left unchecked and untreated, the pool of blood might cause brain damage.
Research suggested that 200,000 cases of subdural hematoma are reported yearly across America. In some cases, the patients might not even remember hitting their heads after constant headache complaints.
Meanwhile, a marketing specialist based in Chicago is the first contestant of "Jeopardy" for 2018. Meghan Whalen walked away with $3,000 but she was unable to beat previous contestant Sean Sullivan, who won $18,000. Sullivan, a financial adviser defended his win against Brandon Brooks, an HR manager, in the following episode.
"Jeopardy" airs on syndication in various channels. Check your local station's listing for the schedule.
