'Wheel of Fortune' host Pat Sajak announces retirement after 40 years: 'The time has come'
Pat Sajak is retiring from "Wheel of Fortune" after serving as the game show's host for over 40 years.
Sajak, 76, announced in a statement Monday that he's decided to step back from the long-running game show after its upcoming season in the fall.
"Well, the time has come," he 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!)"
Suzanne Prete, the EVP of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, honored Sajak's legacy in an additional statement. "As the host of 'Wheel of Fortune,' Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years," she said.
Prete continued: "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. 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!"
Pat Sajak is retiring: Look back at quotes from the 'Wheel of Fortune' host
Sajak has hosted "Wheel of Fortune" since its inception in 1983, as well as its daytime version from 1981 to 1989. In May, his daughter, Maggie Sajak, filled in for "Wheel" co-host Vanna White, who competed as a contestant alongside "Jeopardy!" hosts Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings.
The Sajak-White duo have worked together on the show for more than 40 years and signed a contract to keep the wheel spinning at least through 2024.
In an interview with USA TODAY in 2021, Sajak admitted that he and White were "much closer to the end than we are to the beginning" of hosting the show.
"There's a pretty good chance that when one of us leaves, we'll both leave, because it would be odd for either of us to work with somebody else," he said. "I always say that I want to leave while the show is still popular and before people tune in and say, 'Ooh, what happened to him?'"
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Contributing: Edward Segarra
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pat Sajak to retire as 'Wheel of Fortune' host after 40 years
