It's time for the final spin. After 41 years of hosting the nightly edition of Wheel of Fortune (he actually started with the daytime version of the show two years earlier), the long-time host's final episode shepherding the popular game show is airing on Friday, June 7.
Fans have had some time to prepare for this, as Sajak announced in June 2023 that he would be stepping down as host. Replacing Sajak is going to be American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, but fans of the show will likely be happy to know that Vanna White is going to remain on Wheel of Fortune for the foreseeable future.
Ahead of the final episode, a video clip was released of Sajak wishing audiences goodbye and speaking on what the game show meant to him.
"It's been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes, night after night, decade after decade," Sajak said in the clip. "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. A place where kids learned their letters. Where people from other countries honed their English skills. Where families came together, along with friends and neighbors and entire generations. What an honor to have played even a small part in all that. Thank you for allowing me into your lives."
Sajak began his career in radio, working as a deejay for Columbia College Chicago and then as a disc jockey for Armed Forces Radio during Vietnam. He'd continue in radio after returning from service before getting his start on TV as a voiceover artist for Nashville's WSM-TV before appearing on camera as an anchor and weatherman. He moved to Los Angeles to become a full-time weatherman in 1977 and after a few others had their try at hosting Wheel of Fortune, Sajak took over things first on the daytime edition in 1981 and then on the nightly edition starting in 1983. During his tenure Sajak has won three Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Game Show Host and has become ingrained in US TV culture, much like his former contemporary, Alex Trebek was on Jeopardy!
As for what's next for Sajak, Variety reports that he is going to appear in a theater production of Prescription: Murder, which is based on the old Columbo TV series, in Hawai'i in the summer of 2025.
Want to tune in for Sajak's final episode of Wheel of Fortune? The game show airs at different times and on different channels depending on where you live, so to find out exactly when you need to watch in your area, check out the Wheel of Fortune website.
If you're confused by Sajak saying goodbye but then see him showing up on ABC to host an episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on ABC tonight at 8 pm ET/PT, that is a rerun of the game show spinoff.
