‘Wheel of Fortune’ Sets Date for Pat Sajak’s Last Episode
It’s the end of an era. Wheel of Fortune has set an airdate for the final episode with long-time host Pat Sajak.
Pat Sajak’s final ‘Wheel of Fortune’ episode airs June 7
Sajak’s last-ever appearance as the host of the word puzzle game show will be Friday, June 7, Deadline reports. The episode – which is the season 41 finale – taped on Friday, April 5.
The finale will air one year after Sajak announced his retirement from Wheel of Fortune, which he has hosted for more than four decades.
“Well, the time has come,” Sajak said in a statement shared by Wheel of Fortune on Instagram in June 2023. “I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride … many thanks to you all.”
Ryan Seacrest is the new ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host
Although Sajak is leaving the show, Wheel of Fortune is not coming to an end. Ryan Seacrest will take over as host starting in season 42.
“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of Pat Sajak,” Seacrest wrote on Instagram after his new role was announced. “I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them … I can’t wait to continue the great tradition of spinning the wheel.”
Letter-turner Vanna White will remain on Wheel. She signed a contract that will keep her on air until at least the 2025-26 season. However, she admits that she considered leaving along with Sajak.
“It’s like, ‘Well, wait, if you’re leaving, what am I going to do? How can I stay without you?’ It was a very hard decision for me to make, because it definitely crossed my mind,” she told People. “It’s like, ‘I just don’t know if I can do this without you,’ but I thought about it and I’m not ready to retire, so I am staying on.”
Pat Sajak has hosted ‘Wheel of Fortune’ since 1981
Wheel of Fortune premiered in 1975 with Chuck Woolery as host. Sajak took over as the host of the daytime version of the show in 1981 and continued to host that show until 1989. In 1983, he began hosting the primetime version of the show. Prior to hosting Wheel, Sajak worked as a weatherman for Los Angeles TV station KNBC.
In a 2007 interview with the Television Academy, Sajak reflected on Wheel of Fortune’s remarkable longevity.
“We became in this strange way part of people’s lives, almost their lifecycle. It was dinner time, they played Wheel – we just became part of the atmosphere,” he said. “It’s kind of like the sunset: you might not go out and watch it every night, but it’s nice to know it’s out there. We’re a comfort to people, and it would seem odd if we weren’t there even if they’re not watching us every day. I don’t know how that happened and how we became part of that, but it’s a wonderful spot to be in.”
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