Ken Jennings debuted as guest host on "Jeopardy!" Monday, and opened the show with a tribute to the late Alex Trebek.
"Sharing this stage with Alex Trebek was one of the greatest honors of my life," Jennings said. "Not many things in life are perfect, but Alex did this job pretty much perfectly for more than 36 years, and it was even better up close. We were dazzled by his intelligence, charm and grace."
He continued: "Like all 'Jeopardy!' fans, I miss Alex very much and I thank him for everything he did for all of us. Let's be totally clear: No one will ever replace the great Alex Trebek. But we can honor him by playing the game he loved."
Jennings said that while recording the show he also kept a special token his pocket in a nod to Trebek.
He wrote on Twitter, "A friend gave me this piece of quiz show history: an audience ticket to Alex's very first Jeopardy! pilot from 1983. ("ALEX TREBEK! DOOR PRIZES!") I kept it in my pocket while guest-hosting Jeopardy! this week, as a good luck charm."
Jennings holds the record for most wins in the show's history and has appeared on it over 100 times.
Remembering Alex Trebek
Photos from the life and career of the longtime "Jeopardy" host:
Alex Trebek is photographed in his home on Mullholland Dr. in Los Angeles on July 7, 1988. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)
Alex Trebek poses for a photo in 1988. (AP Photo)
Alex Trebek, the host of the television game show "Jeopardy," poses with his wife Jean Currivan, on the stern of the yacht "Jacana" on July 2, 1990 in New York. (AP Photo/Ed Bailey)
Game show creator Merv Griffin, left, shares a laugh with "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek, second from left, and "Wheel of Fortune" hosts Vanna White and Pat Sajak, right, during a news conference in Atlanta Thursday, March 28, 1996 to announce their Olympic marketing plans. The popular game shows are Olympic sponsors and begining in April will launch major Olympic promotions and offer Olympic-related merchandise to their viewers. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Alex Trebek, right, and the 38th Pillsbury Quick & Easy Bake-Off winner Ellie Mathews of Seattle, raise their hands in victory Tuesday, Feb. 24, 1998, in Orlando, Fla. Trebek hosted the live television show where Mathews was named the winner of the $1 million grand prize for the best recipe cooking competition. (AP Photo/Ed Bailey)
In this May 17, 1999 file photo, Emmy award-winning game show host Alex Trebek celebrates his newly-dedicated star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)
Jason Borschow of San Juan, P.R., left, reacts after missing a question during the 1999 National Geography Bee, Wednesday, May 26, 1999 at the National Geographic Society in Washington. Host Alex Trebek is at center and eventual winner David Beihl of Saluda, S.C. is at right. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Quiz show host Alex Trebek, left, talks with boxing promoter Don King at the National Association of Television Program Executives convention in New Orleans, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2000. (AP Photo/Judi Bottoni)
Actor Leslie Nielsen, right, chats with Alex Trebek, host of Jeopardy, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003, at the Canadian consul general's residence in the Hancock Park section of Los Angeles. The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) celebrated its 60th anniversary and presented its "Award of Excellence" to Nielsen at the Canadian residence. (AP Photo/Ric Francis)
Alex Trebek poses for photographers as he arrives for the 32nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in New York, Friday, May 20, 2005. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)
From left: Alex Trebek, Vanna White, Merv Griffin, Pat Sajak and honorary Mayor of Hollywood Johnny Grant pose for a photo during a ceremony honoring White with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Thursday, April 20, 2006, in Los Angeles.(AP Photo/Nick Ut)
In this Friday, April 28, 2006, file photo, Alex Trebek holds the award for outstanding game show host, for his work on "Jeopardy!" backstage at the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Sony Television spokeswoman Paula Askanas said Sunday, June 24, 2012, that Trebek is in a Los Angeles hospital recovering from a mild heart attack. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)
Show host Alex Trebek takes part in a taping of "Celebrity Jeopardy!" to celebrate the 5000th episode of "Jeopardy!" at Radio City Music Hall, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2006, in New York City. "Celebrity Jeopardy!" will showcase 30 stars competing for $1,000,000 dollars for charity. (AP Photo/Paul Hawthorne)
Pat Sajak, left, host of TV game show "Wheel of Fortune", and his wife Lesly Brown, talk with "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek during funeral services for Merv Griffin at Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, Calif., Friday, Aug. 17, 2007. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, Pool)
Game show host Alex Trebek and his wife Jean Trebek arrive at the 17th annual Broacasting and Cable Hall of Fame awards dinner at Cipriani's 42nd street, Monday, Oct. 22, 2007 in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)
Alex Trebek is seen on stage at the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards on Sunday, June 27, 2010, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
Television personality Pat Sajak, left, and, television personality Alex Trebek pose together with their awards in the press room at the 38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Sajak and Trebek both received Lifetime Achievement Awards. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)
Honoree Alex Trebek attends the 71st Annual Peabody Awards in New York, Monday, May 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
Masters of ceremony Alex Trebek, left, and David Pogue host the 66th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy® Awards, held Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, at The Bellagio Las Vegas in Las Vegas. (Photo by Isaac Brekken/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images).
Alex Trebek attends the SNL 40th Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
In this April 24, 2015 file photo, Alex Trebek, left, and Florence Henderson arrive at the 2015 Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards at The Universal Hilton in Universal City, Calif. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP, File)
In this April 30, 2017 file photo, Alex Trebek speaks at the 44th annual Daytime Emmy Awards at the Pasadena Civic Center in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
Alex Trebek inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame at the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame Awards at the Encore Wynn Hotel on Monday, April 9, 2018, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Robb Cohen/Invision/AP)
Moderator Alex Trebek, center, speaks during a gubernatorial debate between Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, right, and Republican Scott Wagner in Hershey, Pa., Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. The debate is hosted by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
In this Oct. 1, 2018, photo, "Jeopardy!" host and moderator Alex Trebek speaks during a gubernatorial debate between Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican Scott Wagner in Hershey, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Alex Trebek poses in the press room at the 46th annual Daytime Emmy Awards at the Pasadena Civic Center in Pasadena, Calif., on May 5, 2019. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
