Pat Sajak is leaving Wheel Of Fortune

After 40 years of stifling laughter as contestants attempt to spell “Fresh Tropical Fruit,” Pat Sajak is abandoning his post as host of Wheel Of Fortune. Per The Hollywood Reporter, his near-half century of selling vowels comes to an end after the 2023–24 season.

“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” Sajak said in a statement. “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!).”

Avoiding all the brouhaha and politicking that made the search for Jeopardy!’s next host such a treat in summer 2021, Wheel Of Fortune will wind down Sajak’s tenure, leading into a three-year consultancy position on the show after he leaves the stage behind. However, there is no word as to whether or not an executive producer has named himself host of the show, despite not having any prior experience hosting a game show.

Sajak’s ascension to America’s favorite wheel-based game came at the behest of television legend Merv Griffin. After original host Chuck Woolery left Wheel Of Fortune in 1981, Griffin chose Sajak to take over. When the NBC brass rejected the suggestion on the grounds of Sajak being “too local,” Griffin threw his weight around and imposed a moratorium on filming until Sajak was hired. He and co-host Vanna White have been spinning the big boy ever since. Sajak even hosted the daytime version of the show for nearly a decade before exiting to host his late-night talk show, The Pat Sajak Show, for a year. As of 2019, Sajak is also the Guinness World Record holder of the longest career as a game show host for the same show. Apologies to Bob Barker, who currently sits at number two. The price is wrong, Bobby.