LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Alex Trebek, the popular host of U.S. game show "Jeopardy!", has suffered a minor heart attack and been hospitalized, the program said on Tuesday.

"He is resting comfortably in a Los Angeles hospital, and plans to resume taping 'Jeopardy!' in January," the show's producers said in a statement.

A "Jeopardy!" spokeswoman said the Canadian-born Trebek had the heart attack Monday night at his home in the Los Angeles area but did not disclose any further details.

"Jeopardy!", a general knowledge quiz, is one of the longest running game shows on U.S. television and regularly places No. 1 in ratings among its rivals.

It reaches nearly 39 million viewers a week and airs in over 99 percent of the United States.

(Reporting by Bob Tourtellotte, Editing by Arthur Spiegelman and David Storey)