Pat Sajak Switches Things Up in Final Wheel of Fortune Episode: Less Rounds, More Money and Big Emotions
Ladies and gentlemen, Pat Sajak has left the building. The longtime Wheel of Fortune host just signed off after 41 years on Friday, and he did not go quietly.
“I think most people know this is my last evening on the show,” Sajak said after the first round. “At the end of the show, I have a few things I’d like to say, so we need to save a little time. How do we do that?”
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His solution was to cut one of the episode’s usual rounds, but since doing so would rob the contestants of winning some money, he decided to throw them a bone.
“I’m going to spin the wheel, add $1,000 to whatever I land on, and give everyone that amount,” he announced. Shockingly, he landed on the coveted $1,000 spot, which meant that all three contestants should have had $2,000 added to their score. But on Sajak’s last night, that just wasn’t enough.
“You know what? It’s not my money,” he said. “Let’s give them all $5,000! Little Jimmy’s surgery can wait.” (R.I.P., Little Jimmy.)
Sajak’s final game ended with Memphis, Tenn., resident Adrienne Bean winning her bonus round and taking home nearly $90,000 in total winnings.
As promised, some time was saved at the end of the episode for Sajak to share his final remarks, thanking the audience, the crew and, of course, co-host Vanna White for more than four decades in the Wheel business. He also reminded viewers that he’ll still be around all summer in reruns, encouraging them to keep laughing at his jokes as if they were new.
Sajak, however, made no mention of Ryan Seacrest, the man taking over his gig this September.
What did you think of Sajak’s last time hosting Wheel of Fortune? Will you miss him? Are you excited to see what Seacrest brings to the table — er, the wheel — this fall? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.
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