'Wheel of Fortune' Host Pat Sajak Has Filmed His Final Episode

A legendary career has come to a close. Pat Sajak's last day as the long-time host of Wheel of Fortune was Friday in Culver City, California, at Sony Studios, reports Entertainment Tonight.

The final episode will air on Friday, June 7, according to Deadline. With 41 memorable seasons under his belt, Sajak, 77, will conclude his iconic tenure as a host. Sajak will, however, continue to serve as a consultant to the show for the next three years until the transition is complete, with Ryan Seacrest taking over as its host. 

Last June, Sajak announced that he would be retiring after the current season. "Well, the time has come. I've decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last," Sajak wrote 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."

Sajak closed the post with the quip, "If nothing else, it'll keep the clickbait sites busy!" It was announced about a month later that Seacrest would replace Sajak.

Since 1981, Sajak has hosted Wheel of Fortune, taking over from Chuck Woolery. Back in September 2022, Sajak, who has been nominated for 19 Daytime Emmy Awards and has won three for Outstanding Game Show Host, told Entertainment Tonight that he would soon be ending his role as host of the show.

"In most television shows by this time, you would have said, 'That's probably enough,' but this show will not die," he said in reference to the 1975 premiere of the game show. "It appears I may go before the show."

"Years go by fast. We're getting near the end. It's been a long [time]. We're not gonna do this for another 40 years. The end is near," Sajak said. "It's an honor to have been in people's living rooms for that long. People were out there welcoming us. We're happy and proud."

Vanna White, who signed a new deal in September, will join Seacrest during the 2025-2026 season of Wheel of Fortune. One year after its premiere, she joined the show in 1982 and is inextricably associated with it.

White shared her reaction to Sajak's retirement news, recalling, "When Pat told me he was going to retire, it was like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm not sure that I'm ready to retire.' I thought about it and thought about it, and I just wasn't ready to retire."