Purdue grad was last 'Jeopardy!' contestant under host Alex Trebek, first under Ken Jennings Emily DeLetter, Lafayette Journal & Courier 'Jeopardy!' pays tribute to iconic host Alex Trebek first episode back after his death Replay Video What is “the chance of a lifetime?” For Jim Gilligan, the answer was simple — appearing on the last-ever taped "Jeopardy!" episode with the game show’s longtime and highly revered host Alex Trebek days before his death. Gilligan holds the monumental honor of being Trebek's last winner on the host's final show before passing away. Trebek, 80, was the host of "Jeopardy!" for 37 seasons, from the show’s revival in 1984 until his death Nov 8. Trebek had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, first diagnosed in March of 2019. The show is temporarily being hosted by Ken Jennings, the record holder for the longest winning streak on the show’s history.