Pat Sajak bids emotional farewell to ‘Wheel of Fortune’ fans

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Pat Sajak is saying a heartfelt goodbye to Wheel of Fortune fans as he makes his final spin on the long-running game show.

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During his last episode, which airs Friday night, Sajak, 77, thanks viewers for their support throughout his 41 years fronting the program.

“Well, the time has come to say goodbye,” he says in a clip that was shared to social media. “I have a few thanks and acknowledgements before I go. And I want to start with all of you watching out there. It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes, night after night, year after year, decade after decade. And I always felt that the privilege came with the responsibility to keep this daily half-hour a safe place for family fun. No social issues. No politics. Nothing embarrassing, I hope. Just a game. But gradually it became more than that.”

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The show, he continues, helped kids learn their letters. It was also program that helped people from other countries learn English. “Families came together, along with friends and neighbours and entire generations,” he adds. “What an honour to have played even a small part in all that. Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”

Sajak, who took over from Chuck Woolery as host of Wheel of Fortune in 1981, announced he was retiring at the end of his 41st season last June. He shared the news on X, writing, “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!)”

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Ryan Seacrest is set to replace him this fall with Sajak’s co-host and letter-turner Vanna White staying on with the show through the 2025-2026 season. Sajak will stay on as a creative consultant with the series for three years.

“I don’t know how to put into words what these past 41 years have meant to me, but I’m going to try,” White said in a tribute video shared to YouTube. “8,000 episodes went by like that. When I first started, I was so green. You made me so comfortable and made me so confident, Pat. You made me who I am, you really did. As the years have gone by, we’ve grown up on television, but we’ve also shared so much more behind the scenes.”

White, 67, called Sajak “a true friend” as she honoured their time in front of the camera. But she said their lives away from the spotlight have meant more to her. “Those memories, milestones and life events we shared with our families, outside the studio, are my favourite,” she said as candid photos were displayed onscreen.

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“We’ve watched our children grown up together. We’ve travelled all over the world. We’ve eaten hundreds of meals together. We’ve laughed. We’ve cried. We’ve celebrated. Oh, gosh,” she continued, her voice trailing off. “What an incredible and unforgettable journey we’ve had,” she said, fighting back tears. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it with you.”

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In a recent interview with his daughter Maggie, who serves as the show’s social correspondent, Sajak said he felt “surprisingly OK” with his decision to leave.

“I’ve had time to sort of get used to it and it’s been a little bit wistful and all that, but I’m enjoying it and taking it all in and reflecting on a great run,” he said, telling Maggie that he was described as “witty” as a kid.

He revealed that he always dreamed of having a career in broadcasting and liked watching Jack Paar on The Tonight Show as a child. After a stint in the army, Sajak said that he bounced around before getting a job at a Nashville television station.

“I would go there about once a week and beg for work. One time I went, probably the 12th time I barged in. A half-hour before one of the staff announcers had announced he was retiring, so they said, ‘Go down and do a tape for us.’ And I read something and they hired me.”

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Sajak eventually made the jump to Los Angeles when he became a weatherman for NBC. One day, he got a call from Wheel of Fortune creator Merv Griffin.

“The host was leaving and he asked if I was interested,” Sajak recalled. “I swear the first thought I had was, ‘There’s nothing for me to do.’ I mean, ‘Yes there are three r’s,’ is not exactly a career mover.”

Sajak got the gig, but he jokingly reminisced about how he thought Wheel had run its course. “I figured I’ll do the show for a year or two. I’ll establish a little national credibility and move on to something else. But it kind of got a second wind …. 41 years later, here I am.”

But along the way, Wheel of Fortune became more than a popular show. “We became a part of popular culture, and more importantly, we became a part of people’s lives,” he said. “That’s been awfully gratifying.”

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Pat Sajak’s final Wheel of Fortune episode airs tonight at 7 p.m. ET.

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