Pat Sajak will take his final spin on Wheel of Fortune on 7 June, marking the end of a four-decade gig as host of the venerable gameshow.
Sajak, 77, announced last summer that he was ready to retire as host from the show, which features contestants guessing letters to try to fill out words and phrases to win money and prizes. Deadline confirmed his final date on air on Friday.
In June 2023, Sajak posted to X: “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.”
Sajak took over duties from Chuck Woolery, who was Wheel of Fortune’s first host when it debuted in 1975, and has presided over the show since 1981, receiving 19 Daytime Emmy award nominations, and winning three. He will continue to serve as a consultant on the show for three years after his retirement as host.
Ryan Seacrest, who will replace Sajak for season 42, announced that he’d be swapping in for the TV legend also in June 2023.
“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Seacrest said at the time. “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.”