1 year ago
39
Wheel of Fortune big Pat Sajak announced helium would beryllium leaving the fashionable crippled amusement astatine the extremity of its upcoming 41st season: "The clip has come."
See Pat Sajak Put Wrestling Move On "Wheel of Fortune" Winner
Pat Sajak is gearing up for his last rotation connected the Wheel of Fortune.
The 76-year-old announced connected June 12 that helium volition beryllium stepping down from his relation arsenic the crippled show's big astatine the extremity of its upcoming season.
"Well, the clip has come," helium said successful a connection to E! News. "I've decided that our 41st season, which begins successful September, volition beryllium my last."
Sajak continued, "It's been a fantastic ride, and I'll person much to accidental successful the coming months. Many acknowledgment to you all."
Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Television's executive vice president of crippled shows Suzanne Prete said successful a abstracted statement, "As the big of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers crossed America for 40 astonishing years. We are incredibly grateful and arrogant to person had Pat arsenic our big for each these years and we look guardant to celebrating his outstanding vocation passim the upcoming season."
According to Prete, Sajak "has agreed to proceed arsenic a advisor connected the amusement for 3 years pursuing his past twelvemonth hosting, truthful we're thrilled to person him remaining adjacent to the Wheel of Fortune family!"
News of Sajak's exit comes astir 40 years aft helium and hostess Vanna White made their debut connected the nightly syndication of Wheel of Fortune. (Sajak antecedently hosted the show's daytime mentation for 7 years, but near successful 1989 to prosecute a vocation arsenic a speech amusement host. Wheel of Fortune's daytime mentation was yet canceled successful 1991.)
Throughout the decades, Sajak has rarely missed a taping. He famously swapped places with White connected a November 1996 episode—when laryngitis prevented him from hosting the bonus round—and again stepped backmost from his hosting duties successful November 2019 to recover from exigency intestinal surgery.
ABC/Christopher Willard
White filled successful for Sajak during his weekslong hiatus, making it the archetypal clip since 1983 that the Vanna Speaks author hosted the amusement solo.
In caller years, Sajak hinted that helium was ready to discontinue from Wheel of Fortune. "Years spell by fast," helium told Entertainment Tonight successful 2022. "We're getting adjacent the end."
He added astatine the time, "We're not gonna bash this for different 40 years. The extremity is near."
Sajak shares 2 kids—son Patrick, 32, and girl Maggie, 28—with his wife Lesly Brown.
Get the play down the scenes. Sign up for TV Scoop!
