Not So Fast! Pat Sajak Is Doing One Last Spin on Wheel of Fortune — Here’s When
Pat Sajak bid an emotional farewell to Wheel of Fortune last month after 41 years as host, but as it turns out, he’s not done with the show just yet. Is Pat Sajak coming back to Wheel of Fortune? Keep reading to see how the longtime host is returning to the Wheel of Fortune franchise.
Is Pat Sajak coming back to Wheel of Fortune?
Pat Sajak is not returning to the syndicated game show for Season 42, but he will be hosting one last season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. The spinoff launched in 2021 with Sajak and longtime letter turner Vanna White at the helm. It allows celebrity contestants to spin the infamous wheel and solve puzzles for a chance to win $1 million, which is donated to a charity of their choosing. In the years since the primetime version of the game show debuted, countless celebrities have won the grand prize, including Melissa Joan Hart, Caroline Rhea and Brendan Hunt.
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On July 10, ABC revealed that the fifth season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune will kick off on Oct. 7, 2024. The network also announced the premiere dates for several other primetime shows, including Dancing With the Stars, Abbott Elementary and Grey’s Anatomy, as well as newcomers Dr. Odyssey and High Potential.
The standard-edition Wheel of Fortune, on the other, will return in September with Ryan Seacrest taking over Sajak’s role. Seacrest paid tribute to his predecessor on Instagram shortly after he was announced as the new host “I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them,” he wrote in a statement.
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The longtime American Idol host also honored Sajak after his final episode, which aired on June 7. “Pat, congratulations on an incredible run with Wheel of Fortune! Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades,” he wrote alongside a photo of him, Sajak and White on set. “Your partnership with Vanna has been nothing short of iconic, and together, you’ve created countless wonderful memories for viewers. You’ve set the standard for hosts everywhere, and this marks the end of an era. Best wishes for all your future endeavors!”
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Sajak, for his part, gave an emotional farewell speech on the show. “The time has come to say goodbye. I have a few thanks and acknowledgments before I go, and I want to start with all of you watching out there,” he told the viewers at home. “It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade, and I’ve always felt that the privilege came with a responsibility to keep this daily half-hour a safe place for family fun, no social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing, I hope, just a game.”
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