Pat Sajak is saying goodbye to Wheel of Fortune after 41 seasons because the host of the beloved phrase puzzle sport present.
Sajak introduced the information final summer time, forward of the beginning of his remaining season.
“Properly, the time has come. I’ve determined that our forty first season, which begins in September, might be my final,” he wrote on social media. “It has been an exquisite journey, and I will have extra to say within the coming months. Many because of you all.”
Sajak has served as host of Wheel of Fortune since 1981, when he took over the place from Chuck Woolery, and has been the stalwart chief of the favored sport present ever since.
Sajak spoke with ET in September 2022, and admitted on the time that retirement was on his thoughts.
“Years go by quick. We’re getting close to the tip. It has been a protracted [time]. We’re not gonna do that for one more 40 years. The tip is close to,” he shared. “It is an honor to have been in folks’s residing rooms for that lengthy. Folks have been on the market welcoming us. We’re pleased and proud.”
As for what he’ll be as much as upon his Wheel departure, Sajak advised his daughter, Maggie, “I am completely pleased if it simply signifies that I will proceed with my crossword puzzles and play with grandchildren. Trace trace trace, no strain.”
Along with these plans, Sajak has landed his first post-Wheel gig: a starring position in Hawaii Theatre’s manufacturing of Prescription: Homicide. He’ll act within the Roy Duval-directed play alongside Joe Moore, Bryce Moore, Therese Olival, Amy Ok. Sullivan and Aiko Chinen.
Whereas Sajak is saying goodbye to Wheel, Vanna White will stay the hostess of the sport present. White spoke out a day forward of Sajak’s exit, tearfully stating in a YouTube video, “I do not know the way to put into phrases what these previous 41 years have meant to me, however I will attempt.”
“Once I first began, I used to be so inexperienced,” White stated as outdated clips of the duo performed. “You made me so snug and made me so assured, Pat. You made me who I’m, you actually did.”
“Because the years have passed by, we have grown up on tv, however we have additionally shared a lot extra behind the scenes. And as a lot enjoyable as we had on digital camera, these recollections, milestones and life occasions we shared with our households exterior the studio are my favourite,” she added. “We have watched our youngsters develop up collectively. We have traveled everywhere in the world. We have eaten lots of of meals collectively. We have laughed. We have cried. We have celebrated. Oh, gosh. What an unimaginable and unforgettable journey we have had. And I’ve loved each minute of it with you.”
White concluded her speech by stating, “As this chapter of our lives is coming to an finish, I do know you may nonetheless be shut by. You are like a brother to me, and I think about you a real lifelong good friend, who I’ll all the time adore. I really like you, Pat.”
Earlier than Ryan Seacrest steps in to take over as Sajak’s successor, let’s have a look again at among the greatest and greatest moments that we have seen in current seasons of Wheel.
THE NSFW SURPRISE
The latest viral second from Wheel got here simply final month, when Tavaris Williams made a NSFW guess that left Sajak, the sport present crowd and the viewers at house completely speechless.
The class was “Phrases,” and when Tavaris noticed the letters “_ _ _ _ I _ T _ E B _ _ T!,” he instantly buzzed in, believing he knew the correct response to the phrase.
“Proper within the butt!” he stated, drawing a loud gasp from the viewers.
To be honest, Tavaris appeared to immediately remorse the reply, and Sajak let him down simple with a delicate, “No,” because the viewers cracked up.
The precise reply? “That is the very best!”
A-LIST APPEARANCES
The puzzles on Wheel can typically go away viewers scratching their heads. However much more mind-bending was the time Jared Leto took Sajak’s place for an April Idiot’s Day 2024 episode, with no rationalization given to the viewers or the contestants.
The actor walked out on the high of the present with Vanna White, as they have been launched by the announcer: “Listed below are the celebrities of our present, Jared Leto and Vanna White.”
After hitting their mark, the long-haired Suicide Squad actor turned to White and wished her an incredible present as he went over to the wheel to start out the sport, sans any point out of why he was appearing within the position.
“All proper all people, seize these gadgets, it is time to give away some cash,” he advised the episode’s three contestants — who every regarded barely puzzled.
After the primary puzzle, Sajak returned, taking on for Leto, once more with none rationalization. The present’s social media pages later confirmed the swap was merely an April Idiot’s Day prank.
SPOILER ALERT
On an April 2021 episode of Wheel, Sajak made a historic slip-up when he unintentionally stated the reply to the bonus spherical puzzle out loud. Much more shocking? The contestant, Jeffrey, did not discover!
After guessing his 4 allowed letters, Jeffrey stared blankly on the puzzle, struggling for the reply.
“Properly, I might slightly be standing right here than there, fairly frankly,” Sajak mused.
Because it seems, “fairly frankly,” was the reply Jeffrey was in search of. And he did not get it!
On the finish of the episode, White referred to as him out on the slip.
“Did you hear what you stated?” she requested.
“It goes to indicate you that individuals are concentrating they usually’re not paying any consideration to me,” Sajak quipped. “It is humorous what your mouth will say that your mind says, you should not try this.”
Earlier that very same 12 months, Sajak additionally slipped up by opening the bonus spherical prize envelope earlier than the contestant began taking part in.
“Oh, I already checked out it!” he stated, catching his mistake simply after it occurred. “I am unsure why I did that. However I do know what she’s taking part in for and you do not!”
PAT SNAPS
Sajak has drawn some criticism over time for situations the place he appears to lose his mood with contestants. In a Could 2023 episode throughout “Grandparents’ Week,” Debbie Pilgrim and her granddaughter, Sarah Hunt, guess incorrectly on all three puzzles in the course of the Triple Toss-Up.
On their remaining incorrect guess, Sajak appeared like he’d had sufficient. “Why are you bothering?” he snapped.
The host tried to make good because the episode continued, joking with the duo, “I don’t care what occurred. I may take heed to you remedy Toss-Ups all evening lengthy.”
Viewers additionally criticized Sajak after a March 2022 episode, during which he mocked contestant Scott Ingwersen’s introductory anecdote story, during which he tried to thank a pair of paramedics who helped him as a baby.
“It is essential to know that once I was 12 years outdated, I used to be driving a 10-speed bike with flip-flops, and I fell and fully reduce off the highest of my toe,” Scott recounted. “The subsequent automotive that got here by have been two paramedics that have been on their solution to a job, they usually stated, ‘It is only a laceration.’ However I did not know what that was, so it freaked me out much more. And my toe is reattached, and I simply needed to say ‘thanks’ to them 30 years later.”
Sajak replied, “Which will have been probably the most pointless story ever advised. And also you advised it, Scott. Congratulations to you.”
AUDI MAKES GOOD
Wheel of Fortune followers have been outraged after contestant Charlene Rubush misplaced her remaining spherical prize as a consequence of a little-known timing rule on a December 2021 episode.
Charlene’s class was “What Are You Doing?” Although she at first guessed a improper reply — “choosing the proper card” — she ultimately stated the right phrase, which was “choosing the proper phrase.” Nevertheless, Sajak stated that as a result of she paused too lengthy in between guesses, she wouldn’t get the prize, which was an Audi Q3.
“This one’s powerful since you stated all the correct phrases, together with the phrase ‘phrase’ however as you realize, it is obtained to be kind of steady,” Sajak stated. “We’ll permit for just a little pause however not 4 or 5 seconds. I am sorry, you probably did a superb job in getting it, however we won’t provide the prize.”
The episode sparked a good quantity of fan outrage on-line, nonetheless, the story in the end had a cheerful ending. Audi reached out by way of social media to present Charlene the automotive on their very own.
“There isn’t any group just like the Audi group. Along with your assist, we tracked down Charlene!” they shared. “Extra to come back as we assist #GiveHerTheQ3.”
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