Fans Honor Pat Sajak’s 40-Year Career on WHEEL OF FORTUNE
By Movieguide® Contributor
After Pat Sajak announced his retirement from WHEEL OF FORTUNE, many of his friends congratulated him on his legendary career.
“40 seasons is quite a run, Pat Sajak! We’ll be cheering you on from next door in your 41st and final season of host @wheeloffortune,” JEOPARDY! shared on Instagram.
“There has never been a game show host like Pat Sajak and I doubt there ever will be again,” Jeopardy’s executive producer, Michael Davies, said in the comments. “So comfortable on camera, that laid back style, never forces it, you never feel him following a format of driving the game.”
“His wit is rapier sharp and prolific… He is both celebrated and underestimated. For 40 years he has made something so hard look so effortless,” Davies continued.
Sajak’s longtime cohost Vanna White took to Twitter to congratulate him.
When we started @WheelofFortune who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later? I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you, @patsajak! https://t.co/yYmo3G0Dtb
— Vanna White (@TheVannaWhite) June 13, 2023
“When we started @WheelofFortune who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later? I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you, @patsajak!” she said.
White joined WHEEL OF FORTUNE in 1982, one year after Sajak began hosting the show.
While NBC is yet to announce Sajak’s replacement, fans are theorizing who the next host could be. One popular theory is that Sajak’s daughter, Maggie, could take his spot; she currently works for WHEEL OF FORTUNE as a social media correspondent. Another popular theory is Ryan Seacrest would take over. Seacrest stepped down from cohosting Live! With Kelly and Ryan in April and is available for a new project.
Movieguide® previously reported on Sajak’s retirement:
Longtime WHEEL OF FORTUNE host Pat Sajak announced that he is retiring from the show at the end of the next season.
“Well, the time has come. 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,” Sajak said via Twitter.
Sajak took over the show in 1981 from Chuck Woolery who had hosted for the show’s first 6 years. In the 40 years since he took over, WHEEL OF FORTUNE has become a television mainstay and one of the longest continually running televised gameshows.
“As the host of WHEEL OF FORTUNE, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years,” executive vice-president of gameshows for Sony Pictures Television, Suzanne Prete, said. “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.”
Following his retirement, Sajak will serve as a WHEEL OF FORTUNE consultant for at least three years before he fully departs from the show.
- Content: +2Share:
- Content: +4