Pat Sajak is opening up about what he hopes his next title will be now that he is no longer the host of Wheel of Fortune.
As Pat Sajak says goodbye to the beloved game show after being its host for more than 40 years, his daughter, Maggie, is just getting started.
But despite following in her father’s footsteps, Sajak has more plans for Maggie as well. While talking with his daughter just days before his final show airs, Sajak hinted that he is ready to become a grandfather.
While opening up about what his plans are for the next chapter of his life, Sajak said he’s “perfectly happy if it just means that I’ll continue with my crossword puzzles and play with grandchildren. Hint hint hint. No pressure,” he told Maggie as she laughed at her dad’s not so subtle plea.
Sajak went on to say he felt “surprisingly okay” about retiring as host of Wheel of Fortune, as Ryan Seacrest prepares to take his place.
“Somewhere along the line, we became more than a popular show. We became part of the popular culture. And, more importantly, we became part of people’s lives. And, that’s been awfully gratifying,” Sajak explained while “reflecting” on the show’s decades-long run.
In the end, Sajak said he ultimately made the decision to retire because he knew he didn’t want to overstay his welcome. “You’ve heard me say it dozens of times, ‘I’d rather leave a couple years too early, than a couple of years too late,’” he told Maggie.
Sajak said he feels like he has at least a couple of more years left in him but there are also other things he wants to do with his life as well, like become a grandfather.
While thanking her father for bringing such joy to the world through his hosting, Maggie got emotional as the father-daughter duo ended the sit-down with an embrace.
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
On June 12, 2023, Pat Sajak made the announcement many Wheel of Fortune fans have dreaded for some time now. Sajak is officially retiring.
“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!)”
And while this is the first time Sajak has said point blank that he is retiring soon, he talked with Entertainment Tonight in 2022 and shocked the world with one of his statements—that he was preparing for his departure from the show.
“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.”
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. Sajak’s final episode will air on June 7.