“I have a few thanks and acknowledgements before I go. And I want to start with all of you watching out there,” Sajak says, per Variety.
“It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes, night after night, decade after decade. And 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 have played even a small part in all of that. Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”
Sajak first announced he was leaving Wheel of Fortune in June 2023, stating “the time has come.”
The former weatherman first started hosting the daytime edition of Wheel of Fortune in 1981 before moving to the syndicated version in 1983 where he began his co-hosting duties with Vanna White.
During Thursday night’s episode, White paid tribute to Sajak with an emotional message to her “brother.”
“As this chapter of our lives is coming to an end, I know you’ll still be close by. You’re like a brother to me, and I consider you a true lifelong friend who I will always adore. I love you, Pat,” she said.
