*Pat Sajak’s final episode of “Wheel of Fortune” will air on Friday, June 7, marking the start of his anticipated retirement.
Sajak, 77, first announced his retirement in June 2023. He wrote via X (formerly Twitter), “Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my lastIt’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 began hosting the beloved game show in 1981 alongside letter-turner Vanna White.
“As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years,” Suzanne Prete, executive vice president of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, said in a statement last year, per The Hollywood Reporter.
He added: “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.”
During his farewell speech, Sajak thanked fans for their support over the past four decades.
“Well, the time has come to say goodbye,” he states, per PEOPLE. “I have a few thanks and acknowledgments before I go, and I want to start with all watching out there. It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade.”
Sajak said that as host, he made the beloved game show “a safe place for family fun. No social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing.”
He also noted that “Wheel of Fortune” became a place where “kids learned their letters, where people from other countries honed their English skills, where families came together along with friends and neighbors, and entire generations.”
“What an honor to play even a small part in all of that,” says Sajak. “Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”
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