After over 40 years as the host of “Wheel of Fortune,” Pat Sajak, 77, has announced his departure date from the game show that has for decades won the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.
Sajak’s final episode will air on Friday, June 7, and will also serve as Wheel of Fortune’s season 41 finale, according to Deadline.
The season finale is aptly titled “Thanks for the Memories,” People reported.
Suzanne Prete, EVP of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, told People shortly after his announcement that Sajak will remain on the show as a consultant for three years.
Ryan Seacrest has reportedly been tapped to replace Sajak as host of the show when Season 42 resumes in September, and Vanna White will stay on to turn the letters on the puzzle board.
According to People, White found it very difficult to remain on the show without Sajak.
“It’s like, ‘Well, wait, if you’re leaving, what am I going to do? How can I stay without you?’ It was a very hard decision for me to make, because it definitely crossed my mind,” White, 67, said. “It’s like, ‘I just don’t know if I can do this without you,’ but I thought about it and I’m not ready to retire, so I am staying on.”
Sajak tweeted on June 13 that he game show’s 41st season, which began in September, would be his last, writing, “Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)”
Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) June 12, 2023
Two weeks after Sajak announced he would be retiring from Wheel of Fortune, Seacrest announced, “I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” according to TV Line.
“I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them,” Seacrest said. “Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition.”
Wheel of Fortune was created by Merv Griffin.
As a child, Griffin used to play hangman. The game was the inspiration for him to create the show which involves contestants solving word puzzles, similar to hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a giant carnival wheel.
Wheel of Fortune has aired since Jan. 6, 1975, and was originally hosted by American game show host, talk show host, actor and musician Chuck Woolery and American former model, actress and television host Susan Stafford.
In 1981, Sajak took over as the host, and in 1982, White became the show’s regular hostess, famously turning letters on the puzzle board to reveal words and phrases.
White distinguished herself by wearing a diverse array of dresses and gowns in each episode, becoming a hallmark of the show’s visual appeal.
Sajak has won three Emmys for his work as a game show host.
He also won the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from the TV Academy.
