LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Pat Sajak’s retirement from 'Wheel of Fortune’ signals the end of an era. Sajak, who took charge in 1981, took the game show to greater heights while cementing himself as its undisputed host. His co-host Vanna White will continue to serve and is still on the board but Pat’s announcement has shaken fans.
The 76-year-old is expected to retire after the end of Season 41 in June 2024, which means fans can savor his witty personality for just one more season. While neither Pat nor the executives of the game show have given a conclusive reason for the exit, Pat recently took to Twitter to announce his retirement. His tweet read, “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. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)” Pat's successor hasn't been named yet but fans are speculating that the baton will be handed over to someone who is extremely close to him.
Will Maggie Sajak host ‘Wheel of Fortune’?
After Pat’s retirement announcement, speculation circulated like wildfire about the appointment of the next host of the revered game show. Maggie Sajak is Pat’s daughter and a social correspondent for ‘Wheel of Fortune'. Maggie, who grew up in the world of the game show, has often interviewed her father on its sets. She knows the ins and outs of the job and many believe could prove a valuable successor to Pat’s position. However, there is a flip side to this argument, with some suggesting the position should rightfully go to Vanna White.
Some fans think that instead of hiring Maggie or someone else as host, roles could rotate and Vanna, who has not broken her silence on Pat’s retirement, could host. But Vanna doesn’t seem to have the same bond with the viewers that Pat has built over the years. Vanna looks like the obvious choice and had briefly stepped in for Pat in 2019 when he needed emergency surgery to fix a blocked intestine. When Vanna filled in, Maggie took charge of Vanna's puzzle-board duties. There’s no official statement from the executives yet, but Maggie and Vanna could very well become the new duo to lead ‘Wheel of Fortune'.
Pat hinted at retirement a while ago
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in September 2022, Pat expressed his thoughts about quitting ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and said, “In most television shows by this time, you would have said, 'That’s probably enough,' but this show will not die. It appears I may go before the show. It's been a long [time]. We're not going to do this for another 40 years. Years go by fast. We're getting near the end. It's been a long [time]. We're not gonna do this for another 40 years. It's an honor to have been in people's living rooms for that long. People were out there welcoming us. We're happy and proud.”
