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Pat Sajak Announces He’s Retiring From ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Hosting After 41 Seasons

By Sara Barnes on June 13, 2023

The game show Wheel of Fortune is a mainstay of broadcast television, and host Pat Sajak is as iconic as the program itself. But not for much longer; Sajak is stepping down as host. He recently announced that he'll be retiring from the show at the end of the upcoming season.

“Well, the time has come,” Sajak said. “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!)”

At 76 years old, Sajak has earned his retirement. But, he won’t be completely stepping away from Wheel of Fortune. He’ll remain on as a consultant to the show for three years. His on-camera hosting, however, will mark the end of an era. Sajak has been the face of the show since its syndication in 1983, and even before that when there was a daytime version of it in 1981. Co-host Vanna White has been with him since that time.

Wheel of Fortune is one of the most popular shows on broadcast television and routinely has an average of 9 million daily viewers. Sajak is one of the most enduring television game show hosts in the United States. He’s won three Daytime Emmy Awards as well as a lifetime achievement award (along with the late Jeopardy host Alex Trebek).

There’s no talk of who will replace Sajak, but whoever does will have big shoes to fill.