Celebrities and contestants pay tribute to Alex Trebek after 'Jeopardy!' host's death: 'The answer is thank you'

After news broke that Alex Trebek had died aged 80 after suffering from pancreatic cancer, social media was flooded with tributes to the beloved Jeopardy! game show host. From former contestants and celebrities to fellow TV hosts and politicians, messages of fond memories and condolences were shared on Twitter. Read on to discover some of the most stirring tributes. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis shared what many fans have likely wanted to say to Trebek, who was known for his quick wit and kindness. Actor Ryan Reynolds also shared his memories of when the two filmed Free Guy together, calling him "gracious and funny" as well as "of course, Canadian". The Walt Disney Co executive chairman Robert Iger called Trebek “a friend, a colleague, an icon” while paying tribute. Singer John Legend shared his memories of growing up with Trebek's game show as a child in Ohio. As did television host and author Padma Lakshmi. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also paid tribute, sharing a photo of the two together and thanking Trebek for entertaining and educating millions of people around the world. Actor George Takei thanked Trebek for all he had done and called him "heroic" in his fight with pancreatic cancer. Ellen DeGeneres thanked him for all he had done in his 36 years as Jeopardy! host. Ken Jennings, the Jeopardy! champion, who holds the record for the longest winning streak at 74 games, shared a selfie of himself and Trebek, writing: "I'm grateful for every minute I got to spend with him." Another Jeopardy! champion, James Holzhauer, said spending time with Trebek was "one of the greatest privileges" of his life. He also shared a story about how game show contestants come and go, but Trebek was the real star. Brad Rutter, who had a 22-game winning streak on the show, also sent a tweet thanking Trebek for everything he gave to the world. _________________________ Read more: ‘Jeopardy!’ host Alex Trebek dies at 80 US game show 'Jeopardy' causes outrage by stating the Church of the Nativity is in Israel, not Palestine 'Jeopardy' producers explain themselves after stating the Church of the Nativity is in Israel, not Palestine _________________________

Celebrities and contestants pay tribute to Alex Trebek after 'Jeopardy!' host's death: 'The answer is thank you'

The long-time game show host passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer