Chuck Woolery, the legendary game show host who became a household name as the original face of Wheel of Fortune, has died at the age of 83.
Woolery’s passing was confirmed on Nov. 23, 2024, by his longtime friend and podcast co-host Mark Young, who shared the news on X: “It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away.”
In an interview with TMZ, Young recounted the late TV personality’s final hours, saying Woolery had been at his Texas home when he began feeling unwell. According to him, Woolery went inside a room to lie down, but he came back later complaining that he was having a hard time breathing.
Young said they called 911 to have Woolery transported immediately to the nearest health facility. Unfortunately, he passed away before the paramedics could even arrive. It’s unclear what led the talk show host to feel unwell. A report on his cause of death is also unavailable at the moment.
Woolery is survived by his wife Kim, who was by his side at the time of his passing, and his four children: Katherine, Melissa, Michael, and Sean.
Woolery’s life, career and legacy
The TV personality’s career spanned decades. But unbeknownst to many Wheel of Fortune fans, he served as the show’s original host when it premiered in 1975. Unfortunately, a contract dispute made him leave the game show in 1981, prompting producers to hire Pat Sajak as his replacement.
Despite exiting a show that would go on to become one the most-watched shows in TV history, Woolery did not really miss a beat as he went on to host a number of other shows, including Love Connection, Scrabble, Lingo, Greed, and The Dating Game.
While hosting Love Connection for a good 11 years, he became famous for coining the phrase, “We’ll be back in 2 and 2,” which was a playful reference to the commercial break duration, according to CNN.
As the emcee of television’s early take on matchmaking way before dating apps became a thing, Woolery had the important role of playing matchmaker alongside the audience members. His quick thinking and engaging style of communicating with guests made him shine throughout the show’s run.
Outside of game shows, Woolery landed talk show hosting opportunities, such as in his very own The Chuck Woolery Show. He also did a bit of acting, but mostly for shows and movies where he had to play himself, like in Melrose Place, 227, Scrubs, and Cold Feet.
His career earned him a spot in the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.
In addition to his television career, Woolery explored music, dabbling in country songs during his early years. He was even part of the pop duo The Avant Garde, which sadly disbanded after releasing only three singles.
More recently, Woolery became a prominent voice in conservative circles by co-hosting the Blunt Force Truth podcast with Young.
As someone who has done prolific work on television and beyond, Woolery’s sudden and unexpected demise leaves a void in the entertainment industry.