Pat Sajak is stepping away from Wheel of Fortune. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the game show’s longtime host will retire following the series’ 2023-2024 season.
“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” Sajak said in a statement. “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, 76, has served as Wheel of Fortune host since its syndicated debut in 1983. In a statement, Sony Pictures Television Executive Vice President of Game Shows Suzanne Prete said he would stay on as a consultant for three years following his retirement.
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“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.”
Created by Merv Griffin, Wheel of Fortune has long been one of the highest-rated syndicated programs in television history, aired on NBC, CBS, and ABC. Sajak and co-host Vanna White have been with the show since its beginning. Sajak hosted a daytime edition of the program on NBC from 1981 to 1989, while both hosts joined the spinoff Celebrity Wheel of Fortune in 2021. Over the years, Sajak has been nominated 19 times for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host, winning three.
