• Pat Sajak and Vanna White are remembering how Alex Trebek impacted their lives with special tributes on social media. The two are the long running hosts of Wheel of Fortune, which was taped in.
• Alex Trebek hosted Jeopardy starting in 1984 and filmed almost up until his death in 2020, with his final episodes airing in 2021, while Pat Sajak started his ongoing stint as Wheel of Fortune host.

• Pat Sajak Remembers Alex Trebek
• Pat Sajak Alex Trebek Cancer Diagnosis

Age: Pat Sajak is 67. Alex Trebek is 73 years old. ALEX TREBEK IS 73 YEARS OLD. HE IS FIVE YEARS OLDER THAN JIM LEYLAND. He has had two heart attacks. My god, what have we done? Sajak, you monster. Pat Sajak and Vanna White remember Alex Trebek: 'He is just part of the family' A pair of game show legends are paying their respects to another. Pat Sajak and Vanna White are speaking out about.

Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak are both famous for the same thing: Being the longtime hosts of two of the most popular game shows on television. Trebek first popped up on Jeopardy! in 1984 and over the years 'has become one of television's most enduring and iconic figures, engaging millions of viewers worldwide with his impeccable delivery of 'answers and questions,' according to the show's website.

As for Sajak, History notes that '[i]n 1981, Wheel of Fortune's creator, Merv Griffin (who also developed ... Jeopardy!, which debuted in 1964) tapped Sajak to take over hosting duties from Chuck Woolery for a network daytime version of Wheel.' In the time since Trebek and Sajak first took on their hosting duties, the two have earned countless honors (like the many awards that both the Jeopardy! host and Wheel of Fortune host have won and been nominated for), set records, and enamored endless viewers.

Considering these two have so much in common, fans are surely curious if the two are friends or merely peers. Frankly, we're sure plenty of people would be shocked and disappointed if they turned out to be foes. So what's the truth about Trebek and Sajak's relationship?

Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak aren't exactly friends, but 'they're not enemies either'

Considering the fact that Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak are two of the most iconic game show hosts on television, you might think that they are buddies. Unfortunately, that's not exactly the case. The Week noted in April 2013 that the pair 'aren't friends,' but added that 'they're not enemies either.'

The Wheel of Fortune star explained the nature of their relationship to the outlet, saying, 'We get along fine, but we're not in the same bowling league.' Fair enough. Granted, we have to admit that we'd be thrilled if they did, indeed, lace up their bowling shoes each Thursday night to throw strikes and spares together.

That being said, while they may never play casual sports together, Sajak was willing to send out a message of support when Trebek revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2019. At the time, Sajak tweeted (via USA Today) that he and his family were 'deeply saddened to hear of Alex Trebek's struggle with cancer.'

'Our hearts go out to him and his family. But there is no one I know who is stronger and more determined, and I would never bet against him,' Sajak continued. 'We, and the entire country, are pulling for you, Alex.'

Two of the most highly successful game shows of all time on the air right now are Jeopardy!, hosted by Alex Trebek, and Wheel of Fortune, with Pat Sajak at the helm.

Both men have been at the front of their respective shows for nearly forty years, an astounding length of time.

So, are these contemporaries just industry colleagues, or good friends?

Both hosts had health issues in 2019

Sajak had emergency surgery for a blocked intestine in November 2019. The show issued a statement at that time via Twitter saying, “Our taping on Thursday was canceled because host Pat Sajak underwent successful emergency surgery to correct a blocked intestine. He is resting comfortably and looking forward to getting back to work.”

The 73-year-old Sajak returned to his post earlier this year.

A post shared by Jeopardy! (@jeopardy) on

RELATED: ‘Wheel of Fortune’: Did Pat Sajak and Vanna White Ever Date?

As for Alex Trebek, as is well known, the Jeopardy! host’s news of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis in March 2019 shocked and saddened his fans and viewers. As of March 2020, Trebek’s doctors were thrilled to mark his one-year survival. The Canadian-born Trebek issued a statement thanking fans for their steadfast support.

“You know my oncologist tried to cheer me up the other day,” Trebek said. “He said, ‘Alex, even though the two-year survival rate is only 7%,’ he was certain that one year from now, the two of us would be sitting in his office celebrating my second anniversary of survival.”

Both have been hosts of their respective shows for almost 4 decades

Both Alex Trebek and Pat Sajak have, incredibly, been hosts of their programs for nearly forty years. Trebek began his hosting duties in 1984, while Sajak became host of Wheel of Fortune a few years earlier in 1981.

Sajak talked to the Television Academy Foundation in a 2007 interview about the appeal of his game show, co-hosted by Vanna White, which millions of viewers have made part of their daily ritual.

RELATED: ‘Jeopardy!’ Host Alex Trebek Worried He Might Win a Daytime Emmy

“We became in this strange way part of people’s lives, almost their life cycle,” Sajak said. “It was dinner time, they played ‘Wheel’ – we just became part of the atmosphere. It’s kind of like the sunset: you might not go out and watch it every night, but it’s nice to know it’s out there.”

Are Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek friends?

As friendly as the two game show hosts are, according to The Week in a 2013 conversation with Sajak, the men aren’t particularly close.

Pat Sajak Remembers Alex Trebek

In the interview, the Chicago-born Sajak briefly opened up about whether he and fellow television personality Alex Trebek are close.

In typical Sajak style, the Wheel host explained their relationship succinctly with a humorous twist.

Pat Sajak Alex Trebek Cancer Diagnosis

“We get along fine,” Sajak said of the Jeopardy! icon, “but we’re not in the same bowling league.”

RELATED: Alex Trebek of ‘Jeopardy’ or Pat Sajak of ‘Wheel of Fortune’: Who Has the Higher Net Worth?

Source: Read Full Article