If you were watching Wednesday night’s (April 26) episode of Wheel of Fortune, you may have noticed a funny little switcheroo that found Pat Sajak mysteriously skipping out on the bonus round. So why did the beloved host go MIA? Well, we have the answer.
Early in the episode, contestant Sarah revealed that she is a big fan of announcer Jim Thornton, prompting the game show to make her dreams come true when he and Sajak swapped roles for the bonus round.
“I love Jim Thornton so much,” the New Hampshire resident told Sajak. “And how could someone not? His voice? So soothing and energizing.”
She continued, “He’s hilarious, and he just is such a good person. And when he’s not on the show, when I don’t see his face, I just hear his voice, I worry about him. So, I’m so glad he’s here.”
Sajak jokingly asked the announcer if “any money changed hands” to which he immediately denied that there was any bribery involved behind her kind words.
When they returned from the commercial break for the bonus round, the regular host was noticeably absent, with Thornton standing in his place.
While Sarah couldn’t solve the puzzle and missed out on the $40,000 prize, she still kept a smile on her face.
“I had so much fun. And we got to do it together!” she told Thornton, while he exclaimed, “And I got to meet Sarah!”
As for where Sajak ended up during all of this, fans could find him in the announcer booth, where he reminded them about the bonus puzzle.
When he returned to his normal spot, he quipped, “Did I miss anything?” to which Vanna White replied, “Not much… Just the bonus round.”
Meanwhile, viewers took to Twitter to praise the show’s “wholesome content.”
“I was hoping #WheelOfFortune would make sure Sarah got her picture taken with Jim Thornton or something,” one wrote. “I didn’t expect them to have Jim host the Bonus Round for her! Well done. Definitely something that wouldn’t have happened with the previous producers.”
Another added, “I agree with Sarah, Jim’s voice is very soothing. Also, he did an excellent job doing the bonus round! So cool of the show to do that for her!”
Wheel of Fortune airs on weeknights at 7:30/6:30c. Find local listings on the Wheel of Fortune website.