Legendary Wheel of Fortune host, Pat Sajak, has announced his retirement from the show,
ending a four-decade run on the classic game show.
Fans of the long-time TV personality have expressed sadness that their favorite host
won’t be on their TV’s every day, though they are taking solace in the fact that he’s
been a part of the TV landscape for so long.
Sajak has hinted at retirement for quite a while now and has finally said that it’s
time.
In this video, we’ll take a look at his reasons for retiring, as well as who might
take over the job.
And we’ll look at his history on the show, as well as his long-time cohort, Vanna White!
Pat’s Sajak’s Retirement For the past few years, retirement has been
on Pat Sajak’s mind.
Partly because he’s getting up there in years – the host is currently 76 – and
partly because it’s something he has constantly been asked about recently.
And up until now, he’s been vague about his answers, saying only that he wouldn’t
be hosting the show forever, and that at some point he’d call it a day.
Like in 2021, when, in an interview alongside Vanna White, he mused that they definitely
wouldn’t be there ten years later, in 2031.
Vanna White agreed with that sentiment.
So at the very least, fans all over knew this was coming at some point.
In an announcement on his Twitter, Sajak wrote, “Well, the time has come.
I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last.”
The tweet 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!)”
Naturally, social media has been buzzing about the news, with fans chiming in to share their
appreciation for Sajak, and what he’s meant to the landscape of the game show in America,
as well as his role in shaping popular culture over the years.
And at the same time there are many questions as to what the future holds for Wheel of Fortune.
Suzanne Prete, the VP of game shows for SONY, confirmed that after Pat leaves, he’ll continue
on as a consultant for the show for three years.
But obviously, that will be a role behind the scenes.
So they’ll need to find a replacement for him as host beginning after next season.
Pat’s Career Pat was born on October 26, 1946, in Chicago,
Illinois.
His early life saw him develop an interest in broadcasting from a young age.
While attending Columbia College Chicago, he worked at a local radio station and gained
valuable experience in the field.
His passion for broadcasting led him to enlist in the U.S. Army, where he served as a disc
jockey for the Armed Forces Radio in Vietnam.
After his military service, Sajak's career in broadcasting began to take shape.
He worked as a radio DJ and weatherman in Nashville, Tennessee, before his big break
came in 1981 when he was selected to replace Chuck Woolery as the host of "Wheel of Fortune."
Sajak's charismatic personality, quick wit, and ability to connect with contestants and
viewers endeared him to audiences, and he has remained the host of the show ever since.
As the host of "Wheel of Fortune," Sajak has become an integral part of the show's success.
His friendly and engaging demeanor, along with his skill in keeping the game flowing
smoothly, have contributed to the program's enduring popularity.
Sajak's tenure on the show has earned him numerous awards and accolades, including several
Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host.
Beyond his work on "Wheel of Fortune," Sajak has made guest appearances on various television
shows and has served as a fill-in host for other game shows.
He has also hosted his own short-lived talk show, "The Pat Sajak Show," which aired in
the late 1980s.
Throughout his career, Pat Sajak has become a familiar face on television screens across
America, entertaining millions of viewers with his wit and charm.
Will Vanna Take Over?
There has been some speculation that Vanna White might take the reigns as host.
After all, she knows the game as well as anyone, having worked as Pat’s cohost for 40 years
as well.
But at the same time, at 66 years old, she’s potentially nearing retirement age as well.
So it seems unlikely that the network would want to start a new era of hosting with someone
who might look to leave before too long.
Plus, she and Pat Sajak are so intertwined in the minds of the American public, it might
be hard for people to make the adjustment to only seeing Vanna.
And yet, that was the case recently, when Vanna hosted the show for a brief stint.
Pat had to undergo surgery in 2019, and was unable to host during his recovery.
So Vanna took over as host while he recuperated, and did an excellent job.
Her charm and appeal are legendary, so it was no surprise that she was a capable host.
So it remains to be seen whether she’ll be strongly considered for the gig.
Vanna began her time on Wheel in 1982.
As legend has it, it all started with the taping of an episode of a show called Dance
Fever.
Vanna appeared as a dancer on the show, which was produced by Merv Griffin, the same man
that produced Wheel of Fortune.
During production, the two were randomly introduced.
Merv was so impressed by Vanna’s charisma and look, he called her not long after and
asked her if she wanted to audition for the role of co-host on Wheel of Fortune.
Vanna jumped at the opportunity.
The news came on Thanksgiving Day, and Vanna was given the job by the end of the year.
And although Vanna is certainly the most iconic letter turner to ever grace Wheel of Fortune,
she wasn’t the first.
Before Vanna was given her co-hosting job in 1982, Susan Stafford fulfilled the role.
Reportedly, Susan despised the position, feeling that it was below her.
Vanna, on the other hand, was incredibly grateful to take her place.
When Merv Griffin was asked why he picked Vanna over all of the other women that had
auditioned to replace Susan, he said that it was because she turned the letters the
best.
Pat’s Daughter, Maggie Sajak There has also been a lot of speculation in
recent years that Maggie Sajak, Pat’s daughter, might be in line to take over hosting duties
for Wheel of Fortune.
After seeing a clip of Pat and Maggie bantering during a Wheel of Fortune trivia segment,
viewers began to suspect that 28-year-old Maggie may very well be next in line for the
Wheel of Fortune crown.
Maggie Marie Sajak has spent the majority of her adult life performing as a country
music singer.
Her musical style has been compared to artists like Jewel and Michelle Branch, although you
can also distinctly hear influences from country stars like Carrie Underwood and Sheryl Crow.
Maggie was born in 1995 and grew up in Severna Park, Maryland.
At age 12, she picked up the guitar and started taking lessons.
She released her first single "First Kiss" in 2011.
In January 2012, the music video for First Kiss, which was directed by the award-winning
director Trey Fanjoy, was featured on an episode of Wheel of Fortune to mark Maggie's 17th
birthday.
Maggie went on to record several other singles, one of which was featured in the season finale
of the series Sweet Home Alabama.
In 2013, while in her freshman year at Princeton, Maggie did a fashion shoot for Teen Vogue.
Flash forward to January 2020, Maggie first appeared on Wheel of Fortune, filling in for
Vanna White as letter-turner for a week when White was hosting Wheel in place of Pat, who
was recovering from surgery.
Then in 2021, Maggie officially joined the Wheel of Fortune team as a social media correspondent.
Will Maggie Take Over As Host?
Fans of the game show have focused on Pat’s recent remarks about Maggie's hosting skills.
In a clip from the "Holiday Trivia with Pat & Vanna" special, which aired in December
2022, Maggie took over as host while quizzing Pat and Vanna with some festive holiday-related
questions.
After putting their knowledge to the test with prompts about Santa Clause's various
nicknames and other bits of Yule Tide trivia, Maggie received high praise from her father.
At the end of the December 27, 2022 episode, Pat reflected on his daughter's hosting chops
while telling her that she was 'actually a good host'.
His seemingly innocuous remark renewed intense speculation that Maggie was being groomed
to take over as the next Wheel of Fortune host.
Fans online have also speculated about the potential for Maggie instead taking over Vanna
White's letter-turning duties.
After Maggie joined the Wheel family in 2021 as a social media correspondent, she made
several appearances on the program both onstage and in behind-the-scenes clips.
As of yet, she hasn't been given any substantial duties outside of presumably managing Tik
Tok and Instagram accounts.
Still, some fans believe that her role on the show, albeit minor, is a path toward her
eventually hosting the program.
When Maggie was initially hired, hordes of bloggers, journalists, and Hollywood insiders
voiced their opinion that her social media role was merely an attempt to introduce her
to the Wheel of Fortune audience before Vanna inevitably retires.
Since she filled in for her in 2020, she's already had a bit of practice performing her
duties.
Of course, with the focus these days on so called “nepo babies,” there will be some
inevitable backlash if the show does indeed decide to include Maggie as either a letter-turner
or as the primary host.
Now it’s time to hear from you.
What’s your favorite memory of Pat Sajak’s time as host of Wheel?
Who do you think should be the next host?
Let us know in the comments section below!