Pat Sajak has announced his retirement from the hit nightly game show, Wheel of Fortune. Host of the game show for 41 seasons, the host has been on TV screens nightly since 1981. He has won 3 Emmy awards for his performance and has been nominated 19 times. Sajak has announced that although he is stepping down from his hosting position, he will stay on with Sony as a consultant for Wheel of Fortune with the new, unannounced host.
VARIETY: ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Pat Sajak to Retire After 41 Seasons: ‘It’s Been a Wonderful Ride’
By Jim K. Murphy; June 12, 2023
Pat Sajak is about to take his final spin. The longtime “Wheel of Fortune” host, who has been at the helm of the game show institution since 1981, will step away from the production after the end of his upcoming 41st season.
Sajak made the announcement on Monday afternoon.
“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” Sajak wrote. “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!)”
While Sajak will no longer be the face of “Wheel of Fortune,” he will continue a partnership with the program as a consultant, according to producer Sony Pictures Television.
“As the host of ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years. 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,” Suzanne Prete, executive vice president of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, shared in a statement. “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 has hosted “Wheel of Fortune” since the Reagan presidency, emceeing the daytime edition from 1981 to 1989 and taking on nighttime duties in 1983. Other things that happened in 1981 — NASA’s first space shuttle mission, the launch of the McRib and MTV, as well as the death of Bob Marley. Throughout his time hosting “Wheel,” Sajak has won the Daytime Emmy for outstanding game show host three times, along with 19 total nominations.