Pat Sajak Announces His Retirement from 'Wheel of Fortune' After 41 Seasons: 'The Time Has Come'

Pat Sajak, who began hosting 'Wheel of Fortune' in 1981, will serve as a consultant on the series for the next three years following his hosting retirement

Pat Sajak's time as host of Wheel of Fortune is coming to end.

On Monday, the 76-year-old television personality announced he would retire after the show's upcoming 41st season, which begins filming in September.

"Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last," he shared on Twitter. "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!)"

In a statement to PEOPLE, Suzanne Prete, the EVP of Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television, also confirmed Sajak's upcoming retirement, but noted that he would serve as a consultant on the series for the next three years.

"As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years," Prete said. "We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season. Pat has agreed to continue as a consultant on the show for three years following his last year hosting, so we’re thrilled to have him remaining close to the Wheel of Fortune family!"

Sajak first began hosting Wheel of Fortune in 1981. In September 2022, he hinted at the possibility of his retirement, saying he'll probably leave the series before it goes off air.

"In most television shows by this time, you would have said, 'That's probably enough,' but this show will not die," Sajak told Entertainment Tonight.

"It appears I may go before the show," he added.

Related: 'Wheel of Fortune' Host Pat Sajak Says 'The End Is Near' After 40 Years

Sajak, who hosts alongside Vanna White, spoke of his television tenure and the idea that nothing is meant to last forever. "Years go by fast," Sajak said. "We're getting near the end. It's been a long [time]. We're not gonna do this for another 40 years. The end is near."

As for White, she told PEOPLE in December she wasn't ready to think about leaving Wheel of Fortune behind.

"I don't even want to think about that. I mean, we're a team," she said at the time. "That's depressing. I don't even want to think about it."

White added that "it is" hard to imagine a world where neither herself nor Sajak is hosting the series. "I just visualize us just being there. I can't think beyond that," she shared.

But White also has "no idea" whether the show will continue on without them, adding, "I can't imagine. Everybody relates Wheel of Fortune to Pat and Vanna. We're like Ken and Barbie, you know? We've been in everybody's homes for 40 years, so it would be weird having somebody else turn my letters."

Related: Pat Sajak Opens Up About Scary Health Crisis: 'I Was Thinking This Must Be Death'

In December 2021, Sajak celebrated his hosting anniversary — and the four decades he's spent on network television. One special tribute came on Twitter from Sajak's daughter, Maggie.

"Happy 40th Wheel-iversary to this guy!" she tweeted alongside a throwback of her father hosting the series. "On this day in 1981, @patsajak hosted his very first episode of @WheelofFortune… and the rest is history!"

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Sajak has consistently hosted Wheel of Fortune and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune since the '80s. He took a brief hiatus from the series in 2019 after undergoing surgery for a blocked intestine. White stood in as host in Sajak's absence.

"I'm as good or bad as new, and that's great," he said upon his return. "I still have my wits about me. They didn't remove that, so I'll be selling vowels for a long time."

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