Ten months ago, Pat Sajak announced his retirement from Wheel of Fortune. Now, his exact retirement date has been revealed.
According to TVLine, the 77-year-old legendary host will retire from Wheel of Fortune on June 7. And as Rotten Tomatoes reports, the title of his last episode will be named Thanks for the Memories.
Several days after Sajak officially announced his retirement on June 12, 2023, his replacement was also revealed; veteran host Ryan Seacrest.
Seacrest also talked with People after the date of Sajak’s last episode was announced. “Well, no one can ever do what Pat has done. He is incredible. He has made that show just something so very special for so long, and he has done such a seamless, remarkable job, so no one can be him,” he told People.
And as a result, Seacrest says he feels the pressure. “So do I feel pressure? Sure. People love watching him. I want them to keep love watching it, and I hope to do a great job as well.”
It’s the end of an era for the beloved game show that has stood the test of time for more than four decades. And while Wheel of Fortune hasn’t changed much over the years, it’s about to look a whole lot different.
Sajak made the announcement many Wheel of Fortune fans have dreaded for some time now on his Twitter account.
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 Sajak (@patsajak) June 12, 2023
“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” he wrote. “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!)”
While confirming he would be Wheel of Fortune’s next host Seacrest shared a statement on Instagram.
“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Seacrest wrote. “I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them. Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition.”
As Secreast continued, he revealed that he began his career as one of the most well-known television and radio hosts of all time by hosting a game show called, Click. And he is more than excited to get back to what started it all.
He added that while Sajak will no longer be part of the show, Vanna White will continue to be a part of it.
And while his Twitter announcement was first time Sajak has said, point blank, that he would be retiring soon. It wasn’t a huge surprise to fans.
Sajak first talked about his inevitable retirement with Entertainment Tonight in 2022, shocking the world then by revealing he was preparing to depart from the show.
Wheel of Fortune Is About to Look A Lot Different
“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. The end is near,” Sajak revealed to ET. “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.”
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Sajak continued by saying how proud he is of the show for lasting so many decades in a business that isn’t known for its longevity.
“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,” he joked.
Wheel of Fortune first premiered in 1975.
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