Pat Sajak’s time on “Wheel of Fortune” is coming to an end, as the longtime host has taped his final episode of the iconic game show, set to air as the Season 41 finale on June 7.
This comes after the 77-year-old announced he was retiring as host last year, bidding farewell to over four decades on the beloved show.
In a statement at the time, Mr. Sajak wrote, “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.”
Despite this, she said she wasn’t ready to retire and took to social media voicing her support for his decision.
“When we started Wheel of Fortune, who could have imagined we'd still be at it 41 seasons later? I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you.”
Sajak’s Successor
Shortly after Mr. Sajak announced his retirement, Sony Pictures Television revealed that television host, producer, and radio personality Ryan Seacrest would join the show as Mr. Sajak’s successor.In a lengthy statement, Mr. Seacrest offered praise to Mr. Sajak, calling him a “legend” and saying he is “humbled” to be following in his footsteps. He expressed his excitement for taking on the role and his hopes to learn what he can during the transition.
“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. Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease,” said Mr. Seacrest.
On April 8, Ms. White made a surprise appearance on “American Idol” alongside Mr. Seacrest as the two anticipated his debut on “Wheel of Fortune.”
Mr. Seacrest invited Ms. White, who is a fan of the singing competition, to do an introduction for one of the contestants. He said he would use this time to give fans a glimpse of them working together and what’s to come.
“It just made me realize how lucky I am to be able to work with her coming up on Wheel,” he said.
During the singing competition show on ABC, a 10-second ad aired featuring Mr. Seacrest and Ms. White. The promo displayed Mr. Seacrest suiting up for his new gig on “Wheel of Fortune,” before Ms. White flips over a puzzle spelling out his name.
A Look Back
“Wheel of Fortune” premiered in 1975. The show’s creator, Merv Griffin, recruited Mr. Sajak to replace outgoing host Chuck Woolery in 1981.Mr. Sajak had already hosted two unscripted game show pilots. One of them, “Puzzlers,” was unsuccessful, but the other show, “Press Your Luck,” currently airs on ABC.
In 2022, Mr. Sajak set the record as the longest-running game show host, surpassing the late Bob Barker from “The Price is Right.”
During his tenure, Mr. Sajak won three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host, with 23 total nominations. He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2011. He went on to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
