Pat Sajak Is Saying Goodbye To Wheel Of Fortune After 41 Seasons

We're going to have to buy quite a few vowels to properly wrap our minds around this latest bit of news. For almost as long as "Wheel of Fortune" has been around, co-hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White have both stood out as the faces of the incredibly popular game show. But today brings the surprising (if inevitable) development that Sajak is finally stepping away from hosting duties and sailing off into retirement after over 40 years on the job.

Sajak himself made the announcement on Twitter last night (via Good Morning America). A staple in countless households in the United States and around the world at precisely 7:30 pm every weekday evening, it's clear that the host recognizes the importance of the occasion. In the tweet, the longtime host stated that this next upcoming season of the show will mark his last: "Well, the time has come. 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."

Sony Pictures Television Executive Vice President of Game Shows Suzanne Prete released the following statement on behalf of the studio, revealing that his retirement isn't quite the end of Sajak's influence on the game show:

"As the host of 'Wheel of Fortune,' Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years. 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!"

Between the untimely passing of "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebeck in 2020 and now Pat Sajak walking away from "Wheel of Fortune," two of America's most beloved game shows will never be the same. Sajak hosted "Wheel of Fortune" ever since his arrival in 1981, hired personally by creator Merv Griffin back when the show was airing on NBC. A Los Angeles weatherman at the time, his unconventional hiring to replace original host Chuck Woolery wasn't without pushback from NBC. Incredibly enough, he continued in the role without ever missing a day until 2019, when a life-threatening health scare forced him to miss his hosting duties while recovering from surgery. His co-host Vanna White stepped in to become the main host in his absence, though the studio has not made any announcements about a potential replacement just yet.

Now 76 years old, Sajak walks away from "Wheel of Fortune" with a tremendous amount of success under his belt. In 2011, he won a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement award and has also won three additional Emmys for his work on the word puzzle show. With Sajak staying on board in a consulting role for at least a few more years, it's possible that he'll have a hand in picking his own successor. Given the spotlight trained on "Jeopardy!" throughout its struggles to decide on a new host after Trebek, here's hoping things go a little smoother for "Wheel of Fortune."