How long has Pat Sajak been on ‘Wheel of Fortune?’

Pat Sajak shocked fans everywhere this afternoon with the announcement on Twitter that he was stepping down as host of the beloved and long-running game show, Wheel of Fortune. The idea of his departure feels strange to fans as he’s been part of the iconic series’ family for so long.

Wheel of Fortune is a game show where contestants guess letters to solve the provided phrase to win prizes ranging from cash to extravagant trips. As previously reported, Sajak, who has hosted the show for over four decades, revealed in a post uploaded on June 12 that Wheel of Fortune’s 41st season, slated to debut this fall, would be his last.

Also, in the tweet, the 76-year-old opened up about how incredible the entire journey has been and informed his fans that he will have more news to share soon. He wrote:

“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. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)”

In addition to Sajak’s announcement, Suzanne Prete, the executive vice president of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, released a statement to Fox News regarding the star’s last season and the future contributions he would participate in following his departure. Prete told the publication that the company looks “forward to celebrating” Sajak’s career and that after his exit as host, the star plans to be a consultant for the show for three years. She said:

“As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years. We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season. Pat has agreed to continue as a consultant on the show for three years following his last year hosting, so we’re thrilled to have him remaining close to the Wheel of Fortune family!” 

So just how long has Sajak been a piece of the Wheel of Fortune puzzle? Let’s take a look.

How long has Pat Sajak been part of Wheel of Fortune?

Sajak has been a part of Wheel of Fortune for quite some time, with his journey beginning in 1981. Sajak was working as a weatherman for Los Angeles’ KNBC network when Merv Griffin asked him if he was interested in replacing the original daytime host of Wheel of Fortune, Chuck Woolery. Upon accepting Griffin’s offer, Sajak would initially hit a bump in the road as the president and CEO of NBC, Fred Silverman, felt that hiring Sajak was a bad decision because the star was “too local.”

After Silverman resigned and Brandon Tartikoff ultimately filled his position, Sajak would host the daytime and evening versions of Wheel of Fortune from 1981 to 1989, with Vanna White eventually joining as cohost. In June 1989, NBC canceled the daytime version of Wheel of Fortune. Despite the cancellation, Sajak and White would continue hosting the evening show for over forty years. 

During Sajak’s time as a host, he and White have captivated fans’ hearts everywhere due to the many viral moments that have occurred on the show over the years, including various contestants getting the phrase wrong. In addition to fans’ admiration, Sajak has obtained numerous awards, including three Daytime Emmys and a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award. 

It goes without saying that the game show realm will be forever changed with Sajak’s departure, but he deserves a happy next chapter, whatever that may be.