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Why Did Pat Sajak Disappear During ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Episode? Host’s Absence Explained
Beloved Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak has been dedicated to his role on the program for more than 40 years. During an episode of the game show on Wednesday, April 26, the TV personality went missing without any explanation. Viewers took to Twitter to voice their concerns over his absence. Scroll below to find out what happened to Pat.
What Happened to Pat Sajak on ‘Wheel of Fortune’?
Pat was present for most of the episode, engaging with the contestants and hosting the competition as usual. His shocking absence came during the bonus round, leaving many scratching their heads.
“Why did Pat Sajak vanish in tonight’s #WheelOfFortune?” one fan questioned on Twitter, while another asked, “Where is Pat Sajak for the final puzzle? #WheelOfFortune.”
It turns out, Pat’s vanishing act was all part of a plan to make one contestant’s biggest dream come true. At the start of the episode, a contestant named Sarah expressed that she was a huge fan of the show’s announcer, Jim Thornton.
“I love Jim Thornton so much. And how could someone not? His voice is so soothing and energizing,” she gushed. “He’s hilarious and just such a good person and when I don’t hear his voice, I worry about him.”
Knowing this, Pat orchestrated his disappearing act so that Jim would be the one to lead Sarah through the bonus round of the competition. It was something fans of the show had never seen before, with Jim stepping out of the booth to join Sarah on stage while Pat was nowhere to be found.
In the end, she did not end up solving the final puzzle. Still, it was an unforgettable moment for her as a longtime fan of Jim and the show.
“I had so much fun,” she told Jim, who joined the series in 2011. “And we got to do it together!”
Is Pat Sajak Leaving ‘Wheel of Fortune’?
Despite handing the microphone over to Jim for the special interaction with a fan, Pat has not announced any immediate plans to leave Wheel of Fortune. He and his longtime cohost, Vanna White, have addressed their future on the series a number of times in the past.
“We’re certainly closer to the end than the beginning,” Pat told Entertainment Tonight in September 2021. “I’d like to leave before people tune in and look at me and say, ‘Ooh, what happened to him?'”
He added, “I wouldn’t bet on seeing us in, like, 10 years, I would say.”
