Conservative Pat Sajak Retires From ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ After 42 Years

The legendary Pat Sajak, who has long been known as one of the only openly conservative stars in Hollywood, has made the sad announcement that he will be leaving “Wheel Of Fortune” after the upcoming 41st season. This came as a shock to fans, given the fact that Sajak has hosted the game show since 1981.

Sajak Leaving ‘Wheel Of Fortune’

“Well, the time has come,” Sajak, 76, wrote on Twitter. “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,” he continued. “Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)”

No replacement for Sajak has been announced at this time, and Sony Pictures Television, which owns “Wheel Of Fortune,” declined to comment when contacted by NBC News. Suzanne Prete, executive vp game shows at Sony Pictures Television, later confirmed his exit to The Hollywood Reporter.

“As the host of ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years,” Prete said. “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,” she added.

Related: Vanna White Addresses Possible End Of ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ With Pat Sajak – ‘I Don’t Even Want To Think About It’

‘We’re Getting Near The End’

In an interview in September of last year, Sajak indicated that he was considering leaving “Wheel of Fortune.”

“Years go by fast. We’re getting near the end. It’s been a long [time]. We’re not gonna do this for another 40 years. The end is near,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “… It’s an honor to have been in people’s living rooms for that long. People were out there welcoming us. We’re happy and proud.”

Sajak first began hosting “Wheel Of Fortune” back in 1981, and his co-host Vanna White joined him one year later. White, who also is still on the game show, has yet to comment on Sajak’s exit. Throughout his career, Sajak has won three Daytime Emmy Awards in the outstanding game show host category (1993, 1997, 1998), as well as a lifetime achievement award in 2011.

Related: Game Show Host Pat Sajak Says ‘End Is Near’ After 40 Years Of Hosting ‘Wheel Of Fortune’

Sajak’s Conservative Views

Sajak has managed to have a successful career in entertainment for decades despite being an unapologetically conservative Republican. Sajak has previously written articles for the conservative magazine Human Events, and back in 2014, Sajak dared to question climate change in a tweet that has since been deleted.

“I now believe global warming alarmists are unpatriotic racists knowingly misleading for their own ends,” he wrote, according to TIME Magazine.

Sajak had previously said that he enjoyed using his Twitter account to “get a rise out of people.”

Last year, Sajak came under fire when a photo went viral showing him with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).

https://twitter.com/DianaGHealth/status/1571325856433246208

Unlike the vast majority of celebrities, Sajak has never let the liberal elites of Hollywood get in his head and radicalize his views.

Sajak is a true entertainer who has made us all laugh on “Wheel Of Fortune” for decades. While he will be dearly missed, we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors!