Shocking News: Pat Sajak Steps Down as Host of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ After 40 Years

Long-time host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat Sajak, has announced his retirement after a successful career. In a statement to Bloomberg News on June 12th, Sajak, who is 76 years old, stated that he will be leaving the show after the 41st season which begins in September. He expressed gratitude to his fans and promised to share more about his decision in the near future.

"We're approaching the end," revealed the game show icon in a September 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight, hinting at his upcoming departure before making an official announcement. "We won't be doing this for another 40 years. The end is in sight."

Sajak has been the host of the beloved daytime program since 1981, taking over from Chuck Woolery. Having almost helmed the popular series for its entire run on air, Sajak feels honored to have been welcomed into people's living rooms for so long. He expressed his happiness and pride in being a part of the show's success.

He humorously quipped that he might not outlast the show, as most television programs would have ended by now, but Wheel of Fortune seems to have an eternal life. Sajak's tenure as the host of the popular game show has been nothing short of impressive, breaking the Guinness World Record for longest-running game show host in 2019, previously held by Bob Barker. As he celebrated his 40th anniversary on the program in 2021, Sajak shared fascinating facts that highlighted the remarkable length of his career on the show.

In December 2021, he tweeted about the early days of hosting Wheel with Susan Stafford, reminiscing about the top 10 TV shows at the time, such as Dallas, Three's Company, The Jeffersons, and The Dukes of Hazzard. He also noted that Ronald Reagan was in his first year as president and that Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" was the number one song. Despite his long tenure on the show, he took his first and only break from hosting in November 2019 due to emergency surgery for a blocked intestine.

During his recovery, Vanna White, who has been a hostess on the show since 1982, took over for Sajak. Despite feeling strange to be away from the show, Sajak revealed that he and White had a chance to chat, though he didn't have much advice to offer as she already knew how the show worked. Nonetheless, Sajak tried to be supportive and encouraging, and White enjoyed the experience.

He acknowledged the severity of his health scare, revealing that he had a fleeting thought about not surviving. Recalling a moment in the hospital room when he overheard his wife and daughter conversing, he described feeling a sense of concern for how their lives would be affected in the aftermath. He clarified that it was not a morbid thought, but rather a realization of what death might feel like.