‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Get Emotional Over Pat Sajak’s Exit

Pat Sajak’s time on Wheel of Fortune has come to an end. The beloved game show host said his final goodbye this month, and fans have been very emotional over his exit.

In his final message to the Wheel of Fortune audience, Sajak said, “Well, the time has come to say goodbye. 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, and I’ve always felt that the privilege came with a 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.”

Scroll down to see Sajak’s full sign-off speech, as well as what emotional fans have been saying on social media.

“Remarkable Era”

“Friday, June 7th, 2024 will forever be one of my ‘where were you when’ memories. You know those… usually reserved for unforgettable moments we witnessed that leave an indelible mark on our collective psyche. Often painful, but always historic,” a fan wrote on Instagram.

“For me, tonight will be painful… but that feels selfish of me. Because of all of the joy he has brought, I’ll do my best to shift my focus and simply try to celebrate the end of a remarkable era.

“No matter how hard I try, though, I know in my soul that tonight is going to be very difficult… I have Vanna, and her heartfelt words last night, to thank in large part for that. Until then, I was doing pretty well compartmentalizing… knowing that I have DVD’s of my episode, Pluto, and our Wheel of Fortune family to lean on.

“I’m just not ready to say goodbye to a legend, whom I admittedly never fully appreciated until I was given the gift of standing in his presence. Like he has been for so many of us, for so much of our lives, he was a comfort… someone familiar… someone so reliably entertaining.

“Thank you, Pat. I’m going to really miss you.”

“Fun Teacher”

“When I came to this country… 35 years ago, I started watching this show with my roommate, for us to learn English!! I enjoyed every single night of laughter and learning,” someone else added. “Now… I can speak English well, and I learned the spelling of difficult words because of this show!!! Thank you for being a fun teacher!!!”

“Wit and Encouragements”

“When I appeared on the show, I was overwhelmed by all of the pressure of being on the Wheel stage. But your kindness, reassurance, wit, and encouragements meant the world to me,” wrote former contestant Raul, The Bow Tie Teacher. “Thank you for all of the memories!”

“Well-Deserved Retirement”

“Pat and Vanna ARE WHEEL! I can’t imagine [Wheel of Fortune] without Pat Sajak,” a loving viewer commented. “So thankful that Vanna is staying, but it’s very emotional that Pat will not be there next year because there is no one that could take his place. Thank you Pat for always being an incredible host, and always being such a kind and humble person, best of luck in your well deserved retirement!!! You are loved!”

“Thank You For Being There”

“I grew up watching you, learning my alphabet with you, loving puzzles with you,” another adoring fan wrote. “My family and I have had dinner with you on TV, shouting solves at each other and you became a nightly ritual in the household as a child and even until now. Thank you for being there, Pat. And thank you for being a part of my life as much as I hope to have been in yours. Much love and congrats to your retirement.”

“Beautiful Goodbye!”

“Beautiful goodbye!” exclaimed an Instagram user. “Thanks for being a great host of a family friendly show that my family and I could watch (and compete) together. You will be missed Pat. Congratulations on your retirement! Continue enjoying life and making a difference.”

“Won’t Be The Same”

“Our lives won’t be the same without you Pat,” somebody else said. “My English growing up definitely improved thanks to [Wheel of Fortune]. It was an honor to meet you and play Americas Game with you as our host.”

“The Best”

“I’m sorry, but no one will ever say a bad word about Pat Sajak,” a final fan wrote. “He is the best. No scandals, no craziness; he is just a great guy. Congratulations on your retirement, Mr. Sajak.”