Pat Sajak Says Goodbye To Wheel Of Fortune In Emotional Speech After 41 Years Of Hosting

For 40 years, Pat Sajak has basically had dinner with families all over the country every weeknight. He has been the host of ‘Wheel of Fortune‘ since 1983. The nightly game show, which airs right after your local news, has been a constant in many people’s homes.

But now, at 77-years-old, Sajak is retiring as the host. His last show is set to air today, June 7, and he’s set to give a pretty emotional speech at the beginning of the episode.

He reportedly starts out by thanking all the viewers at home, and then talks about how privileged he feels to have been welcomed in by so many people…

I always felt that the privilege came with the 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. But gradually it became more than that. A place where kids learned their letters, where people from other countries honed their English skills, where families came together along with friends and neighbors, and entire generations. What an honor to play even a small part in all of that.

He got a little emotional during the farewell, as you might imagine. If you’ve been working at the same place for over 40 years, you’d also probably get a little emotional while leaving.

Sajak announced his retirement back in 2023, so his fans had one final year to say goodbye. For those who don’t know, Ryan Seacrest will be replacing him, and honestly, we feel like that’s a great move. Seacrest is one of the best hosts out there, and has always been nothing but professional.

We’re sure he’ll do just fine.