Pat Sajak is opening up about the future of Wheel of Fortune, which he’s hosted since 1981.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the game show host says while the show “will never die,” it’s unlikely the show can reach another 40-year anniversary.
“In most television shows by this time, you would have said, ‘That’s probably enough,’ but this show will not die,” he said. Sajak, 75, added that he “may go before the show.”
Wheel this week, for its 40th anniversary, unveiled a new LED-screen puzzle board, as well as an “XL Week” of shows that put more prize money at stake than ever before.
“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,” he said.
New executive producer, Bellamie Blackstone, said in a statement:
“I’m looking forward to celebrating all of the ways this show has become a staple in so many living rooms, but also to help it grow so we see its 50th season and beyond. We have a beautiful new puzzle board. We’re trying to give away the most money ever offered on the syndicated version of the show. But, more than anything, I want our viewers to continue to enjoy this classic game while adding a few new and interesting twists. We are all looking forward to this being our biggest season ever!”
The Western Journal pointed out:
Sajak isn’t in the public eye solely for his ability to host one of the most popular game shows in history.
He’s one of the few celebrities who has been known for his openly conservative politics throughout the years. His politics broke into public view again this weekend, when liberals took to social media to criticize him for being in a photograph with Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, as Fox News reported.
But conservatives and Sajak fans were undisturbed.
The Left is melting down over this photo. Why can’t @patsajak express his truth and identify however he wants?
“Diversity” is okay as long as it means Democrat controlled. pic.twitter.com/RkS1o9dakU
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) September 18, 2022
Wheel of Fortune first aired back in 1975 with Sajak becoming its host six years later in 1981. White was hired the following year and the two have co-hosted the show ever since.
In an interview last year, Sajak hinted that his time on the show was starting to wind down even though he and White had just signed new contracts to stay on through the 2023-2024 season.
“We’re certainly closer to the end than the beginning,” Sajak said last year. “I’d like to leave before people tune in and look at me and say, ‘Ooh, what happened to him?’”
“I wouldn’t bet on seeing us in 10 years, I would say,” Sajak said, before asking White, “Is that fair?”
“Probably, yes,” White said.
News of Sajak’s eventual exit from the show comes after Alex Trebek, the host of the “Jeopardy!” gameshow since 1984, died in 2020 after hosting the show for 36 years.
The TV icon, whose avuncular personality and biting wit made the daily show a must-see for millions of Americans, announced in March 2019 that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He went through chemotherapy after the diagnosis but said he had no plans to retire.
Sources: WesternJournal, Fox News, Entertainment Tonight
Leave a Comment