Pat Sajak will end his four-decade run as “Wheel of Fortune” host after the series’ upcoming next season.
“Well, the time has come,” Sajak wrote in a statement posted to Twitter Monday. “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!)”
The 2023-24 season will mark the end of Sajak’s 40-year tenure as host of the famed game show after hosting the syndicated iteration of the series since its nighttime debut in 1983. The 76-year-old also helmed the daytime edition of the show from 1981 to 1989. The long-running series has resulted in multiple spin-offs, including “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” which was recently renewed at ABC for this year’s upcoming season.
Sajak won’t be going too far from home however, as the host is slated to remain on as a consultant for “Wheel of Fortune” for the subsequent three years after he passes on the crown.
“As the host of ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years,” Sony Pictures Television EVP of game shows Suzanne Prete in a statement. “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 time hosting “Wheel of Fortune,” Sajak has received numerous accolades for his work on the series, taking home three Daytime Emmys for outstanding game show host and being nominated a total of 19 times.
