Pat Sajak Officially Retires From 'Wheel of Fortune'

Sajak has retired from 'Wheel of Fortune' after 43 years.

By Megan Behnke

Pat Sajak's time at Wheel of Fortune has officially come to an end. After 43 years, the beloved host has retired from the long-running game. His final episode aired on June 7, following a full week of tears and farewells. At the end of his final episode, he shared a heartfelt goodbye where he thanked the longtime viewers, the contestants who were the true stars of the show, the crew, his family, and his "professional other half," Vanna White.

It was announced close to a year ago that Sajak was retiring after the then-upcoming season. Having done the show for over 40 years and nearing his 80s, many have likely been bracing themselves for the news. There were rumors in the past that he might be taking a step back, but when he confirmed his retirement, all bets were off. Thanks to reruns, as Sajak reminded everyone in his farewell message, viewers will still be seeing plenty of him over the summer, but once the new season hits, he won't be there.

Even though Sajak's final episode is just now airing, he said his final goodbyes back in April. After 41 seasons, he is done with Wheel of Fortune, and it really is still hard to get used to. In a statement at the time of his retirement announcement last year, Sajak said, "Well, the time has come. I've decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It's been a wonderful ride, and I'll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all." It definitely seemed far away at the time, and now that's come and gone, it's heartbreaking.

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As for the new season, Ryan Seacrest will be taking over for Sajak. While no one will ever be able to replace him, it will surely be interesting how Seacrest does. He isn't a stranger to hosting, having done American Idol, Live! with Kelly and Ryan, E! News, his own radio show, and much more. A game show will be a bit different, however, but it isn't anything he can't handle.

Whether it's reruns or clips on YouTube, there are still plenty of ways to watch Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune, even though it will no longer be new episodes with him. The show is entering a new era, and it will look a lot different. But at least Vanna White is sticking around.

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