Just when you thought he was out, he’s back — for a short while.
Although Pat Sajak retired in June after a record-breaking stretch of hosting “Wheel of Fortune” for more than four decades, he will return to host the upcoming season of “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” premiering Oct. 7.
According to an ABC press release, this is his “final spin” on the franchise. He is not returning for more full-time hosting, The Post has learned.
This news comes just one month after Sajak, 77, retired with fanfare.
The notoriously snarky game show host bade farewell to “Wheel of Fortune” on June 7 after hosting contestants for more than 8,000 episodes across 41 seasons.
Sajak, who will be replaced by Ryan Seacrest on the main “Wheel of Fortune” show, ended his final episode with footage from his 1981 debut, where “Chicago, Illinois” was the first puzzle answer — a possible nod to his hometown.
A round was cut from the program to make room for Sajak’s goodbye message, but he gave each contestant $5,000 to make up for it.
“Well, the time has come to say goodbye,” Sajak said on-air.
“It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade.”
Sajak said he was proud of making the show “a safe place for family fun. No social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing, I hope. Just a game.”
In an additional video before his final episode aired, Sajak addressed fans directly with a similar message.
“Well, the time has come to say goodbye,” he began. “I have a few thanks and acknowledgments 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.”
The show for him was 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,” he added. “What an honor to play even a small part in all of that. Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”
He also bade goodbye on-camera to his co-host, Vanna White, 67.
“Finally, to my professional other half,” he gushed. “We’ve seen a lot of changes in our lives over the years but we’ve always been there for each other. While I’ll very much miss working with her, I take solace that we live about 5 miles apart. So we’ll see plenty of each other.”
Pat Sajak’s not done spinning yet. The former “Wheel of Fortune” host is up for one more round of the game show, albeit the celebrity version, this fall, according to a fall lineup release from ABC. Sajak will host “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” which is set to premiere Oct. 7 in what the network calls his “final spin.”
The beloved host retired from the original “Wheel” during a season finale aired on June 7. Ryan Seacrest will take over hosting duties starting in September, but it is unclear if he will also take the helm for “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” after Sajak’s final season. USA TODAY has reached out to ABC Entertainment for more information.
Sajak is set to appear on the live stage next year in a play called “Prescription: Murder,” performed at the Hawaii Theatre Center alongside longtime coworker Joe Moore.
In June, Sajak closed out his chapter of “Wheel” in a poignant farewell directed to the TV audience.
“Well, the time has come to say goodbye,” he said at the time. “It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade. And I’ve always felt that 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.”
Sajak ended the speech by thanking his four-decade show partner, Vanna White, whom he called “my professional other half.”
“We’ve seen a lot of changes in each other’s lives over the years but we’ve always been there for each other,” said Sajak. “While I will very much miss working with her, I take solace in the fact that we live about five miles apart. So we’ll see plenty of each other.”
White gave a tearful farewell to Sajak with her own video the night before, saying, “I love you, Pat.” White is expected to continue on “Wheel of Fortune.”
Turns out Pat Sajak isn’t done with Wheel of Fortune entirely!
Sajak will be returning to television as host of the upcoming season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, which premieres on October 7. According to a press release from ABC, this is the beloved game show host’s “final spin” on the franchise.
This news comes just one month after Sajak’s last episode of his long-running hosting gig on Wheel of Fortune aired in early June. He had been on the show for 41 seasons — since 1981 — when he stepped in to replace former host of five-years Chuck Woolery.
When introducing himself to viewers at the time, Sajak, 77, immediately gave a glimpse into the humor fans would later know him for.
“Please do not adjust your sets at home, Chuck Woolery has not shrunk,” he joked, poking fun at the height difference between him and his predecessor.
From then until last June, Sajak was the face of the family favorite game show. When he decided it was time to retire, he took to X to announce the decision.
“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!)”
While Sajak wraps up with Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, Ryan Seacrest will be taking over for him on Wheel of Fortune. Following the news of Seacrest’s new gig, the longtime radio personality wrote a sweet message for Sajak on Instagram.
“Pat, congratulations on an incredible run with Wheel of Fortune!” Seacrest began his caption alongside a photograph of himself, Sajak and fellow co-host Vanna White.
“Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades,” he continued. “Your partnership with Vanna has been nothing short of iconic, and together, you’ve created countless wonderful memories for viewers.”
Sajak has since ushered Seacrest into the role in a teaser for the next season. After telling Seacrest “the contestants are going to love you,” he offered a look into what he can expect from the position.
“I think what you are going to enjoy most is meeting the players and getting to know the audience at home,” Sajak told him, later adding, “People love this show — they come up every day and thank us for a half hour where they can watch it with the whole family,” he shares.
Pat Sajak has marked a date to bid farewell to Wheel of Fortune.
After more than 40 years as the game show’s host, Sajak, 77, will retire from Wheel of Fortune on June 7, according to TVLine.
His final episode will also be the season 41 finale, aptly titled “Thanks for the Memories,” per Rotten Tomatoes. It is set to air one year after he announced his departure.
Sajak revealed last June that he would end his decades-long job as the program’s host, which he began in 1981 when the show still aired on daytime television.
“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) at the time. “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!)”
Following his announcement, Suzanne Prete, EVP of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, noted to PEOPLE that Sajak would remain on the show as a consultant for the next three years.
Vanna White, Sajak’s longtime cohost, told PEOPLE in October 2023 that she considered leaving the show with him.
“It’s like, ‘Well, wait, if you’re leaving, what am I going to do? How can I stay without you?’ It was a very hard decision for me to make, because it definitely crossed my mind,” White, 67, said. “It’s like, ‘I just don’t know if I can do this without you,’ but I thought about it and I’m not ready to retire, so I am staying on.”
While White is set to remain on the show through the 2025-26 season, Ryan Seacrest will step into Sajak’s shoes as host.
“I’m looking forward to my final season starting this fall, and then handing over the car keys to Ryan Seacrest in September of 2024,” wrote Sajak on Twitter after Sony announced the American Idol host, 49, would fill the role.
Of his new job, Seacrest said on Instagram that he’s “truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak.” The television presenter called the opportunity a “full circle moment,” as one of his first gigs was hosting the 1997 game show Click.
“I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White,” he continued.
Wheel of Fortune airs weekdays in syndication (check local listings).
Source: The Post, USA TODAY, PEOPLE
