'The Time Has Come to Say Goodbye'

After more than four decades lording over his show's giant wheel, Pat Sajak just presided over his final spin. The last Wheel of Fortune episode featuring the 77-year-old host aired Friday, and it was mostly business as usual in terms of gameplay, reports the New York Times. Then, at the end of the program, Sajak turned to the cameras and addressed his fans. "Well, the time has come to say goodbye," Sajak told viewers in an episode dubbed "Thanks for the Memories," per the AP. "It's been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade."

Sajak, who hosted his first Wheel episode in 1981, expressed gratitude to the crew and his family, including his daughter, Maggie, who's been a Wheel social correspondent since 2021. He also had kind words for his co-host, letter turner Vanna White. "Like me, she takes the show very seriously, but not herself," Sajak noted before the two gave each other a hug onstage. "I shudder to think what these 40-plus years might have been like had they brought someone in all full of themselves, playing the prima donna role. Vanna is as sweet and unassuming as she seems." He did note that they only live 5 miles apart, so they'll still likely be seeing each other outside of work.

Sajak also gave a shoutout to the "real stars of the show": the contestants, who "took great pride in talking about their family, their hometown, their friends, their schools, their jobs, even their pets," he noted, per the AP. He added that he'd always wanted the show to remain a "safe place for family fun," with no talk about political or social issues. Now that Sajak is officially in retirement, Wheel fans can look forward to the show's new host, American Idol's Ryan Seacrest, to take the lead when the next season starts in September. White will continue on as co-host. Watch Sajak's farewell message here. (More Pat Sajak stories.)