The Wheel of Fortune has been an iconic show for the better part of a century. At this point, generations of fans have watched contestants spin the colorful wheel and try to solve the puzzle, all in the name of winning fabulous prizes.
Of course, anyone who thinks about Wheel of Fortune also must think about Pat Sajak. This veteran TV entertainer has been hosting the show since Chuck Woolery left in late 1981. And it’s difficult to imagine the show succeeding at all without Sajak’s presence.
However, it looks like we won’t have to simply imagine a show without Sajak. According to him, he may be stepping down soon from his longtime television duty. When and why is Sajak stepping down, and what are some of his craziest moments with the show? Let’s find out!
‘The end is near’
It was likely an attempt at a joke, but Sajak made things sound downright apocalyptic about him leaving Wheel of Fortune. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, he discussed how “the end” was, in fact, “near.” “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,” he 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.”
Before that, though, he expressed a good sense of humor about the show that made his career outliving him. “In most television shows, by this time you would have said, ‘That’s probably enough,’ but this show will not die, he said. “It appears I may go before the show.”
It’s definitely going to be difficult to find someone to step into Sajak’s shoes. Which is ironic considering that in the early days, the network didn’t even want him!
