It’s the end of an era: Pat Sajak has officially announced his retirement as host of Wheel of Fortune. The television legend revealed the news on his Twitter account, announcing that the upcoming 41st season of the show will serve as his last. This will give fans one last season with Sajak hosting the program, which will never again be the same once he’s gone.
“Well, the time has come,” Sajak wrote. “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!)”
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Per Variety, Sony Pictures Television’s executive VP, Suzanne Prete added in a statement: “As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years. 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!”
The news is not the surprise of the century, as Sajak has been teasing that this was coming. Last fall, the 76-year-old told Entertainment Tonight that he could see the end of his run on the horizon. With that said, he foresees Wheel of Fortune moving on without him just fine.
“In most television shows by this time, you would have said, ‘That’s probably enough,’ but this show will not die,” Sajak said. “It appears I may go before the show… Years go by fast. We’re getting near the end. It’s been a long [time]. We’re not gonna do this for another 40 years. The end is near… It’s an honor to have been in people’s living rooms for that long. People were out there welcoming us. We’re happy and proud.”
Related: Pat Sajak Defends Wheel of Fortune Contestants from Twitter Critics
Pat Sajak Has One More Season Left in Him
Sajak has been hosting Wheel of Fortune since 1981. During that run, he won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host on three separate occasions and 19 total nominations. His constant presence on the small screen for the past four decades has made him one of the most recognizable figures in pop culture, and even if the series continues with a new host, it just won’t be the same without Sajak hosting with the assistance of Vanna White.
There’s no word yet on who a new host might be, though there’s going to be a whole season for the show’s producers to figure that out. Perhaps they’ll take a page from Jeopardy!, which continued on after the passing of Alex Trebek with revolving guest hosts. These days, Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik have been alternating as hosts of the show.
Sajak’s final season as host of Wheel of Fortune will start in September, meaning his retirement will officially come in 2024 at the end of the season.
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