Why Is Pat Sajak Leaving ‘Wheel of Fortune’? Here’s What to Know About His Last Episode as Host
Why Is Pat Sajak Leaving ‘Wheel of Fortune’?Christopher Willard – Getty Images
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It’s the end of an era, Wheel of Fortune fans. Come next year, Pat Sajak will officially retire from television after hosting the game show for 41 years.
The TV personality surprised fans on June 12 when he publicly announced his plans to exit Wheel of Fortune after being a staple for four decades. Posting a short message on Twitter, Pat reflected on his career. “Well, the time has come,” he tweeted. “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.”
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Pat’s tweet immediately caused many viewers to pay tribute to his tenure on the small screen, including a special note from longtime co-star Vanna White. What’s more, it only took two weeks for Wheel of Fortune to announce a replacement host in American Idol star and former Live host Ryan Seacrest. Between Pat’s departure news and Ryan’s welcome, it has left some TV-goers to wonder about the details of the near future.
While most details haven’t been disclosed yet, we did some digging and discovered key info about Pat leaving the game show, including when his last episode might be.
Why is Pat Sajak leaving Wheel of Fortune?
While the reason for Pat leaving Wheel of Fortune is unclear, he has been forthcoming about his thoughts of retiring for some time. When speaking to Entertainment Tonight in September 2022, he subtly alluded to his future on the game show.
“Years go by fast. We’re getting near the end,” he told the outlet. “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.”
Vanna also spoke out about what life would look like without them on Wheel of Fortune. “I don’t even want to think about that. I mean, we’re a team,” she told People in December 2022. “That’s depressing. I don’t even want to think about it.”
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Vanna continued: “It’s incredible. I cannot believe it’s been 40 years. Honestly, I’ve loved every minute of it… Who still says they love their job after 40 years? Me! I really do. It’s a fun show. Everybody watches and enjoys it and it changes people’s lives and it makes people happy. So it’s a great job.”
While Pat may not be seen on the game show after the 2023-2024 season, he’s not leaving Wheel of Fortune altogether. According to Suzanne Prete, EVP Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television, Pat will be a silent player in a different role behind the scenes.
“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,” she said in an official statement, per Deadline. “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.”
When is Pat Sajak’s last episode of Wheel of Fortune?
Although the official date for Pat’s final Wheel of Fortune episode is to be determined, he did give a clue about a timeframe when congratulating Ryan on becoming his successor.
Uploading a tweet on June 28, he alluded that he plans to leave the game show sometime before September 2024, which would mark the beginning of season 42.
“I’m looking forward to my final season starting this fall, and then handing over the car keys to Ryan Seacrest in September of 2024.”
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) June 28, 2023
“I’m looking forward to my final season starting this fall, and then handing over the car keys to Ryan Seacrest in September of 2024,” he wrote on Twitter.
Despite confirming the hosting transition will take place sometime next year, it still doesn’t answer when Pat will spin the wheel for the last time. But, if the game show sticks with a production schedule similar to season 40, it’s plausible that Pat will leave Wheel of Fortune sometime in June 2024, when the final taping of each season usually airs on TV.
