Pat Sajak Leaving Wheel of Fortune After 41 Seasons — Read the Host’s Full Statement

Andy Swift
·1 min read
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Pat Sajak is stepping down as the host of Wheel of Fortune after more than four decades.

“Well, the time has come,” Sajak said in a statement to Bloomberg News on Monday. “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.”

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Sajak has hosted the syndicated game show since its nighttime debut in 1983. He also hosted the daytime edition from 1981 to 1989. Prior to Sajak, Wheel was hosted by Chuck Woolery since the show’s premiere in 1975.

A true television icon, Sajak has thrice won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host. He has received 16 additional nominations.

Though this is the first time Sajak has made his exit plans official, the host has flirted with retirement for several years.

“Years go by fast,” he told ET while celebrating Wheel‘s 40th season in 2022. “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. … It’s an honor to have been in people’s living rooms for that long.”

A replacement for Sajak was not included in this initial announcement, though plenty of Wheel enthusiasts have already taken to social media to campaign for Vanna White — Sajak’s longtime co-host, an expert letter turner and the very picture of glamour — to take over full-time.

Can you even imagine Wheel of Fortune without Sajak as host? Drop a comment with your thoughts on his big announcement below.

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