It was a sad night for longtime “Wheel of Fortune” fans.
On Friday, the game show aired its final “Thank You for the Memories” episode, hosted by 77-year-old Pat Sajak, which began with Sajak reminiscing about his first episode in 1981, when he took over as host from Chuck Woolally.
After the toss-up round, Sajak said “most of you know,” revealing that Friday night’s show would be his last, explaining that Friday night’s show would be a little different because he needed to make time for a few words at the end of the show.
Pat Sajak surprised contestants on Friday night’s “Wheel of Fortune” with a $5,000 advance. (Getty Images)
“I’m going to skip a round, which is basically taking money away from you all,” Sajak told the three attendees. “I’ve decided, it’s been a while since I’ve spun a roulette wheel. I’m going to spin the wheel, and for every number that lands on it, I’m going to add $1,000 to it and make sure everyone gets that amount.”
Wheel of Fortune hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White in past photos
Sajak spun the roulette wheel and won $1,000, bringing the contestants’ total winnings to $2,000.
“Hey, it’s not my money. I’ll give everyone $5,000,” Sajak said.
Pat Sajak was the host of “Wheel of Fortune” for over 40 years. (Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty Images)
Afterwards, Jim, the Pats’ longtime announcer, spoke for a bit.
“Pat, thank you for keeping me on my toes for 13 years as an announcer,” Jim said before introducing a short commercial break.
“Thank you, Jim. You know I’ve been in this for a long time, and you’re the best. I appreciate all the work you’ve done here,” Sajak said.
‘Wheel of Fortune’ host Pat Sajak explains why he decided to retire from game shows
In the final episode, taped in April and aired Friday night, Sajak A moving farewell speech.
“Now, it’s time to say goodbye,” he said. “Before I go, I want to offer a few thanks and acknowledgements. First, I want to say to all of you watching here: It has been an incredible honor to be invited into millions of homes every night, every year, for decades.”
Pat Sajak gave an emotional farewell speech at the end of Friday night’s show. (Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty Images)
“I’ve always felt that with this privilege comes a responsibility to keep it a safe place for 30 minutes every day that families can enjoy,” he added. “We don’t address social issues, we don’t address politics, we don’t address anything embarrassing, we just see it as a game.”
“But it slowly became so much more,” he added. “It became a place for children to learn to read, a place for people from other countries to practice their English, a place for families, friends, neighbors and generations to come together.”
“I’m honored to have had a small part in it all,” Sajak concluded. “Thank you all for letting me into your lives. Every time we tape the show, I meet three new people from all corners of this great country and world who are kind, caring, rooting for each other, and proud to talk about their families, hometowns, friends, schools, jobs, and even pets.”
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“At the end of the day, they were the real stars of the show,” he continued. “I love these guys dearly and it’s a shame we won’t get to see more of them.”
Sajak thanked the staff and crew he has worked with for decades.
“To all the staff and crew, especially the veterans who’ve been on this stage with us for five, 10, 20, 30 years, it’s been such a pleasure working with you all. Your skill and your dedication and your humor have made this a place I’ve always wanted to be,” Sajak said. “You all pulled together, you all cared about each other, you all cared about this show. You all made it work, you all made it look good, and you all made my job a lot easier.”
Pat Sajak and Vanna White co-hosted “Wheel of Fortune” for decades. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
“I want you to know that your efforts have never gone unnoticed or unappreciated by me and I will miss you all,” Sajak said.
Sajak said “the best thing about the last few years” has been working with his daughter, Maggie Sajak.
‘Wheel of Fortune’ host Pat Sajak’s daughter Maggie takes viewers backstage ahead of final show
“To see her grow in her characters and as a person. I recently had my daughter interview me and she talked about her life and the show, and I’m sure you’ve all seen some of it online, which was really fun. It’s always a little weird to be interviewed by your own daughter, but she did a great job,” Sajak said.
Pat Sajak’s daughter, Maggie, interviewed him before the final episode of “Wheel of Fortune.” (Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty Images)
“Maggie is well-liked around here because she’s talented, smart and funny, but she’s also beloved around here because she’s kind, caring and humble. Leslie and I are blessed to have two such amazing children,” Sajak said. “Of course, there’s Maggie and her amazing brother Patrick and his new family. Leslie has been my wife and life partner for 35 years, and I love her for who she is and who we are as a team.”
Sajak took a moment to talk about his “professional other half,” Vanna White.
“Like me, she takes the show very seriously, but not herself. I shudder to think what the last 40-plus years might have been like if they had brought in an overconfident person to play the prima donna role,” Sajak began. “Vanna is as sweet and modest as she appears. We’ve seen a lot of changes in each other’s lives over the years, but we’ve always supported each other.”
In his farewell speech, Pat Sajak thanked his “business partner” Vanna White. (Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty Images)
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Pat thanked Vanna for giving her farewell speech during Thursday night’s broadcast, but noted it won’t be easy to get rid of him.
“I will miss working with her so much, but it’s comforting that we see each other often as we live about five miles apart,” he said, “But I will miss the end of every night, her laugh and her sweet nature. She’s a very special woman.”
Sajak said White will return to “Wheel of Fortune” next season and that fans can expect to see him on TV in summer reruns.
Pat Sajak will host “Wheel of Fortune” in the summer return episode. (ABC/Christopher Willard)
“That’s all. Thank you very much, everyone. Goodbye,” Sajak concluded his farewell speech.
During Thursday night’s broadcast, White gave an emotional farewell to Sajak.
“I can’t believe tomorrow is our last show,” White said in a clip aired on Thursday’s broadcast. “It’s hard to put into words what these last 41 years have meant to me, but I’m going to try.”
“That’s how 8,000 episodes went by. When I first came on, I was a complete novice. Pat, you made me feel at ease, you made me confident. You made me who I am today, seriously,” she continued.
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“As much as I’ve enjoyed my time in front of the camera, my favorite parts are the memories, milestones and life events I’ve shared with my family outside of the studio,” she said. “Together we’ve watched our children grow up. We’ve traveled the world. We’ve had hundreds of meals together. We’ve laughed. We’ve cried. We’ve celebrated. It’s been an incredibly unforgettable journey for us.”
“As this chapter of our lives comes to a close, I know you are still close by,” she concluded. “You are like a brother to me and I consider you a true friend for life. I will always adore you. I love you, Pat.”
Ryan Seacrest will take over as host of “Wheel of Fortune.” (Monica Schipper/Getty Images)
Though Sajak is retiring from the game show world, he already has a new gig lined up: Deadline reports that he’ll be appearing in a Hawaiian production of the play “Prescription: Murder.”
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A week after the Sajak news broke in June 2023, Ryan Seacrest Take over as host Season 42.
