His final spin: Pat Sajak’s history on ‘Wheel of Fortune’
Fortune-ate to have him.
Pat Sajak, 77, ends his legendary run – spanning over four decades – hosting “Wheel of Fortune” on June 7.
Sajak makes history as the longest-running host of any game show (beating Bob Barker, who hosted “The Price Is Right” for a 35 year tenure, from 1972 to 2007).
Sajak told USA today about “Wheel of Fortune,” that the show is “sort of a safe-haven half-hour where nobody gets hurt, and everybody has fun. If I went in to pitch this show to a network today, the pitch would last about eight seconds, and they’d go, ‘Thank you, next,’ ’cause it’s old-fashioned.”
“We’re just playing hangman and spinning a giant wheel,” he added. “And yet it’s become a part of people’s daily ritual, and it’s a nice spot to be in.”
In 2019, the Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged Sajak for that honor.
Aside from that record, Sajak has also been nominated for 23 Daytime Emmy Awards (taking home three wins), he got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2011 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Sajak first started on the popular game show in 1981 (in the daytime version), as well as the syndicated version of the show, which began in 1983.
Before “Wheel of Fortune,” Sajak, who was born in Chicago, got his start as a radio personality.
“I was very lucky in that I always knew that I wanted to be in broadcasting,” he said. “My early heroes were people like Arthur Godfrey, Dave Garroway, Steve Allen and, especially, Jack Paar. They helped shape what a television personality was, paving the way for so many others.”
He’s also a veteran, with an unusual job in the army.
“You might not know this about me, but long before I became the host of ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ I served in the Army as the morning disc jockey at Armed Forces Radio in Saigon,” Sajak told American Veterans Center.
“Each morning, I roused my fellow soldiers out of bed with shouts of ‘Gooooood morning, Vietnam!’ I am proud to count myself among the 2.7 million veterans of the Vietnam War.”
He wrote for the USO website in 2014, “I used to feel a bit guilty about my relatively ‘soft’ duty. But I always felt a little better when I met guys who came into town from the field and thanked us for bringing them a little bit of home. I always thought it was strange that they should be thanking me, given what so many of them were going through on a daily basis. But they reminded me of the importance of providing entertainment to those who serve.”
After the war, Sajak continued working as a disc jockey at WSM in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as the station’s television announcer.
Sajak – who was married to his first wife, Sherrill Sajak, from 1979 to 1986, and his second wife, Lesly Brown, from 1989 to the present – had son Patrick in 1990 and daughter Maggie in 1995.
After his job at WSM, he then became a weatherman at KNBC. During this time, he caught the attention of “Wheel of Fortune” creator Merv Griffin.
Sajak made his hosting debut on Dec. 23, 1981. Vanna White, 67, made her debut one year later, leading to their four-decade long partnership.
White gave credit to Sajak for helping her get through her first day when she was nervous to start the job.
“[He said], ‘Calm down, it’s going to be OK.’ I was just a little old girl from North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, wanting to be on TV from the time I was 10,” she said.
Sajak has earned a reputation for often being snarky and brutally honest with contestants. Despite his less-than-cuddly demeanor, White praised him for making her “feel comfortable” in front of a camera.
“He was my teacher,” she added.
Sajak’s star rose as he hosted “Wheel of Fortune.” He co-hosted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1984 to 1986 and he had his own talk show in 1989, “The Pat Sajak Show.” He also did the spinoff, “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” which premiered in 2021, and his daughter, Maggie, 29, has occasionally filled in for White.
Sajak announced his retirement in June 2023.
“Well, the time has come,” he tweeted, stating that he’ll depart after the currently airing season of the beloved ABC show.
“I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last.”
He added, “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!)”
He also said on “GMA”: “Somewhere along the line … We became part of the popular culture. And more importantly, we became part of people’s lives. And, that’s been awfully gratifying.”
He added, “You’ve heard me say this dozens of times. I’d rather leave a couple years too early than a couple of years too late. It’s been a great 40 years, and I’m looking forward to whatever’s ahead. I’m perfectly happy if it just means that I’ll continue with my crossword puzzles and play with grandchildren.”
Ryan Seacrest will succeed Sajak as the host of “Wheel of Fortune” in the fall.
“I have no interest in [my successor],” Sajak told USA Today, before Seacrest was announced.
“It’s not my show, I don’t run it, I’m not producing it. I don’t own it. I’m just a working stiff here. I’m sure they will pick someone just fine, but I’ve never given that a moment’s thought.”
Sajak will, however, continue to serve as a consultant to the show, SONY Pictures Television announced at the time he revealed his retirement.
Sajak’s final episode (which is also the Season 41 finale) airs Friday, June 7 on ABC.
