Pat Sajak Stepping Down as Host of 'Wheel of Fortune'

It's the end of an era! Longtime host Pat Sajak announced on Monday that he is stepping down as host of Wheel of Fortune.

Bloomberg News was the first to break the news that was later confirmed on Twitter.

“Well, the time has come,” Sajak tweeted. “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!)”

Sajak has been hosting Wheel of Fortune since 1981. You just don't see career stability like that anymore, especially in television. In his hosting role, Sajak has been nominated for 19 Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host, winning three of them.

Related: Pat Sajak's Net Worth Is Enough to Buy Plenty of Vowels

He also hosted the daytime edition from 1981 to 1989 and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune since its premiere in 2021.

At this point, we're not sure what prompted Sajak's decision to retire. He has taken heat in recent months for snarky comments to contestants (like this dismissive line after an incorrect guess) and in 2021 he opened the bonus round envelope before the player picked his letters.

As recently as 2022, has flirted with retirement before but never shared any concrete plans. He told ET: "It appears I may go before the show.”

"Years go by fast. 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," Sajak explained to ET.

In January 2023, ABC renewed the beloved game show for five more years through its 45th season in 2027-2028.

"Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years," Suzanne Prete, executive vice president for game shows at Sony Pictures Television, said in a statement to Bloomberg. "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."

Sajak will step down at the end of Season 41, which begins in September. Each season of Wheel is 195 episodes so you'll have plenty of time to catch Sajak's witty repartee with players before he says his final goodbye in Spring 2024, when his and Vanna White's contracts expire.

He will remain as a consultant on the show for three years following the end of his hosting gig.

There's no word yet on who will replace Pat Sajak. Sony tells Bloomberg that they have received offers to host but no decision has been made.

What Sajak's exit means for Vanna White is also up in the air.

Next, Vanna White's Net Worth Is So Much Higher Than Pat Sajak