Pat Sajak’s host period Passionflower is ending.
On Monday, the 76-year-old television personality announced that he would retire after the show’s 41st season, which will begin filming in September.
I decided that our 41st season, which will start in September, will be my last.” twitter. “It’s been a great journey and I’ll have more to say in the months to come. Thank you all so much. (It’ll keep clickbait sites busy, at least!)”
Suzanne Prete, VP of Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television, also confirmed to PEOPLE that Sajak will retire soon, but noted that she will serve as a consultant on the series for the next three years.
“As host Passionflower“Pat entertained millions of viewers in America for 40 wonderful years,” Prete said. “We are incredibly grateful and proud that Pat has been our host for all these years, and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the coming season. Pat has agreed to continue as a consultant on the show for three years after hosting last year, so we’re excited for him to stay close. we hear. Passionflower family!”
Sajak first started hosting Passionflower He hinted at the possibility of retiring, saying he would likely leave before the series took off in September 2022.
“In most TV shows by this time, you’d say, ‘That’s probably enough,’ but this show isn’t going to die,” Sajak said. fun tonight.
“Looks like I could go before the show,” he added.
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Co-hosted with Vanna White, Sajak talked about her television career and the idea that nothing needs to last forever. “The years go by quickly,” Sajak said. We are nearing the end. It’s been a while. [time]. We won’t do this for another 40 years. The end is near.”
As for White, he told PEOPLE he wasn’t ready to consider leaving in December. Passionflower back.
At that time, he said, “I don’t even want to think about it. So we are a team.” “This is depressing. I don’t even want to think about it.”
White added that it was “difficult” to imagine a world where neither he nor Sajak hosted. “I just imagine we’re there. I can’t think beyond that,” she shared.
But White has “no idea” whether the show will go on without them. He adds, “I can’t imagine it. Everyone is relating to each other. Passionflower To Pat and Vanna. We’re like Ken and Barbie, you know? We’ve been in everybody’s house for 40 years, so it would be weird if someone else translated my letters.”
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Sajak celebrated the anniversary of his hosting and forty years on network television in December 2021. A special compliment came from Sajak’s daughter, Maggie, on Twitter.
“Happy 40th Anniversary Wheel“One year anniversary to this man!” she said. tweeted as well as a throwback to his father, who hosted the series. “Today in 1981, @patsajak hosted the first episode of @WheelofFortune… and the rest is history!”
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Sajak has consistently hosted Passionflower And Famous Wheel of Fortune since the 80’s. She took a short hiatus from the series in 2019 after undergoing surgery for a bowel obstruction. White featured as host in Sajak’s absence.
“I’m as good or bad as new, and that’s great,” he said when he returned. “I’m still sane about myself. They haven’t taken it out, so I’ll be selling vowels for a long time.”