Pat Sajak is feeling sentimental ahead of his impending retirement. The game show host penned a touching tribute to Wheel of Fortune creator Merv Griffin on his birthday, thanking him for giving him a chance as he prepares to leave the show after decades of work.
“Merv Griffin, the creator of Wheel of Fortune, was born on this date in 1925. I owe the man so much,” he tweeted on Thursday (July 6). “He absolutely defied network executives by insisting on hiring an unknown local TV weatherman to take over his show in 1981.”
“That was me, and I’ve been grateful ever since,” Sajak added.
Sajak was hired to host the show in 1981, taking over from Chuck Woolery, who was presenting at the time. Sajak has since earned three Daytime Emmy Awards and broke the Guinness World Record for having the longest career as the host of a single game show.
But his time on the show is coming to an end. Sajak recently announced that he will be retiring from the game show after the 2023-2024 season but will stay on as a consultant for three years, while Ryan Seacrest will be stepping in as his replacement.
“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” Sajak announced in June. “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)”
The 76-year-old will instead serve as chairman of Hillsdale College, a position he was first given in 2019.
The show wasted no time in naming Seacrest as Sajak’s successor, likely hoping to avoid the trouble Jeopardy faced after Alex Trebek‘s death.
After Seacrest was officially named Sajak’s replacement, he said being named host of Wheel was a “full-circle moment” for him as Seacrest began his career hosting a different game show Griffin had created 25 years ago.
“Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition,” Seacrest wrote in a social media post. “I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White.”
Wheel of Fortune airs on weeknights at 7:30/6:30c. Find local listings on the Wheel of Fortune website.