Pat Sajak revealed that the upcoming season of “Wheel of Fortune” would be his last — and now we know when the host’s final episode will air. The 77-year-old first made the shocking announcement of his departure on X on June 12, 2023. “Well, the time has come,” he wrote.
“I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last.” He added, “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all.
” At the end of the post, he joked about the surprising news, saying, “(If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)” Following a hilarious and NSFW guess on the May 23 episode of “Wheel of Fortune,” Sajak’s reps confirmed to TODAY.com that the longtime host’s final episode would air on June 7. Ryan Seacrest will be replacing Sajak as host.
Sajak's departure from the show marks the end of an era. Sajak made his debut on “Wheel of Fortune” after the original host , Chuck Woolery, left in December 1981. Sajak stepped in to lead the daytime version until 1989.
He has hosted the evening version of the long–running game show since it launched in 1981, alongside Vanna White. White, on her end, extended her contract to continue on “Wheel of Fortune.” In a June 2023 statement, Suzanne Prete, the EVP of Game Shows, Sony Pictures Television, the production and distribution studio that owns the show, wrote the company is "incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our.