Pat Sajak has announced his retirement from “Wheel of Fortune” after hosting 40 seasons. Sajak, 76, took to Twitter to share the news saying, “Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all.”

Sajak began hosting the famous game show back in 1981 and in September of 2022, he surpassed “Price is Right” host Bob Barker and became the longest-running game show host. “As the host of ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years,” said Suzanne Prete, Executive Vice President, Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television. “We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season. Pat has agreed to continue as a consultant on the show for three years following his last year hosting, so we’re thrilled to have him remaining close to the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ family!”

Sajak had the opportunity to work alongside his daughter, Maggie, before his retirement. The 29-year-old has been working as the social media correspondent since 2021 while she attended law school. Maggie shared in a statement how thrilled she was to be working alongside her father saying, “The Wheel of Fortune staff and crew have always been like an extended family and I’m thrilled to be working with them. It’s a real privilege to be able to treat the show’s longtime viewers to a look at what goes on when the cameras aren’t rolling. Plus, I get to use the carpool lane with my father!”

It has been announced that Ryan Seacrest will take over as the new host of “Wheel of Fortune” starting in 2024. Seacrest spoke about how much of an honor it is to be following in the footsteps of such a legendary host, saying “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.”