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Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak, who has been a host of the game show for 41 years, announced his retirement recently. He took to Twitter on June 13, 2023, to announce his departure from the show and stated that season 41 would be his last. He added that it’s been a wonderful ride and that he’ll have more to say in the coming months.
The 76-year-old television host, who has served on Hillsdale College’s board as vice president since 2003, is now serving as the board’s chairman. The college is an independent liberal arts college in Michigan and has seen conservative leaders like Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and former Vice President Mike Pence appear as commencement speakers.
Pat Sajak retires from Wheel of Fortune after 41 years
The famous long-running game show, which first aired on January 6, 1975, saw Pat Sajak serve as a host from 1981. His long-term co-host, Vanna White, joined the show a year later, and the two have since served as one of the longest-running co-hosts of a show in television history.
He is now set to serve as the chairman of Hillsdale College’s board of trustees. The college’s spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday, June 15, that they know that the Wheel of Fortune host has been an icon of radio and television for decades. They added that they know he will be missed and congratulated him on his “well-deserved retirement” and that the institution is fortunate to have an even closer relationship with Sajak.
"Since 2019, we have benefitted from his wisdom, intellect, and good humor as chairman of Hillsdale’s board of trustees. We look forward to continuing our important work together and to what we are sure will be a bright future for Mr. Sajak and his family," they added.
While he has been on the Board of Trustees for years, he was promoted to chairman in 2019, and the president of the college, Larry P. Arnn, previously praised the host of the game show in 2019 during a conversation with The Collegian.
He described the Wheel of Fortune host as a calm man with steady judgment and added that he also has a “wicked wit.” Sajak added during the conversation that he’s part of an industry where they’re always patting each other on the backs for different awards, but being a part of Hillsdale is “at the top” of his list.
How did Vanna White react to her co-host’s retirement announcement?
Soon after Pat Sajak announced his retirement plans, his co-host Vanna White took to Twitter to pay tribute to her Wheel of Fortune co-host and stated that she couldn’t have been happier to have shared the stage with him all those years.
In December 2022, Vanna opened up about the pair’s time on screen potentially coming to an end, and at the time, she stated that she didn’t even want to think about it and called the thought depressing.
"I just visualize us being there. I can’t think beyond that," she said.
She added that everyone relates the show to the pair and compared themselves to Ken and Barbie. She added that they’ve been in people’s homes for 40 years and that it would be weird having someone else turn her letters.
Wheel of Fortune season 41 will begin airing in September 2023.
