‘Wheel of Fortune’ Announcer Suspended, Role Being Recast

Jim Thornton, the announcer for Wheel of Fortune, has been suspended as Sony Pictures Television Studios investigates an incident involving Thornton.

Sony Pictures addressed the alleged incident with TMZ, telling the outlet: “We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton. He has been suspended from Wheel of Fortune and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation.”

Multiple outlets are reporting that the incident that led to Thornton’s suspension took place on an American Airlines flight this spring. A passenger apparently complained about Thornton to a flight attendant. Per Deadline, “On May 14, American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) following concerns reported by a customer onboard.”

The announcer, who was wearing a Wheel of Fortune jacket on the flight, was questioned by police officers and then released. He was not detained and the nature of the complaint made against him has not been made public. 

On September 1, Thornton’s attorney issued a statement to TMZ, stating that the announcer, “did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime. When questioned about the complaint made by a fellow passenger on the flight, law enforcement spoke to him for five minutes or less, immediately determined that no wrongdoing occurred and told my client he was free to go.”

Thornton, who has also worked as an announcer for The Price Is Right and The Soup, also has voice acting experience. He’s voiced roles in Monsters Inc., and Celebrity Deathmatch, among others. He’s been with Wheel since 2011, having replaced the game show’s longtime announcer, Charlie O’Donnell, after his passing.

In addition to serving as announcer on WOF (a run that spans more than 2,000 episodes), Thronton handles the same duties for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.