Alex Trebek pre-recorded a heartfelt Thanksgiving Day message for fans where he asked them to 'keep the faith'

• Thursday's episode of "Jeopardy!" opened with a heartfelt Thanksgiving Day message from Alex Trebek.
• The Emmy-winning TV host died at age 80 earlier on November 8 after battling pancreatic cancer.
• Trebek pre-recorded episodes of the game show that will air into early 2021.

Thursday's episode of "Jeopardy!" opened with a Thanksgiving message from Alex Trebek that was pre-recorded before his death on November 8.

"Keep the faith; we're gonna get through all of this, and we will be a better society because of it," Trebek told viewers in a clip which was released on the show's official YouTube page ahead of the show's broadcast.

Here's Trebek's message in full:

"Happy Thanksgiving, ladies and gentlemen. You know, in spite of what America and the rest of the world is experiencing right now, there are many reasons to be thankful. There are more and more people extending helpful hands to do a kindness to their neighbors, and that's a good thing. Keep the faith; we're gonna get through all of this, and we will be a better society because of it."

The six-time Emmy-winning TV host died at the age of 80 on November after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed at Stage 4 in March 2019.

Trebek pre-recorded episodes of the game show until October 29.

The show will air a selection of his 10 best episodes the weeks of December 21 and December 28. His final episodes will air the first week of 2021 starting on January 4.

Afterwards, a rotating cast of guest hosts will take over "Jeopardy!" for the time being. Former champion Ken Jennings, who joined the show in September as a consulting producer, will be the first guest host.