Pat Sajak is getting ready for his final ride.
After serving 41 years as host of the Wheel of Fortune, 75-year-old veteran entertainer says he’s almost at his “end.”
Sajak admitted this in an interview, with “Entertainment Tonight” on Thursday. “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 stated.
He continued, “It’s an honor to have been in people’s living rooms for that long. We’re happy and proud.”
After “Wheel of Fortune” premiered in 1975, Sajak was hired as host in December 1981. Only a year later, Vanna White joined the cast as co-host. The two have worked together for 40 years now.
Last year, Today reported that Sajak and White had signed a lucrative deal to continue working together until 2024 — but Sajak’s recent comments could mean they want to leave the job earlier.
Fans of “Wheel of Fortune” shouldn’t be too discouraged, though. Sajak assured viewers that the program would most likely continue after he and White leave the set.
“In most television shows by this time, you would have said, ‘That’s probably enough,’ but this show will not die,” he said. “It appears I may go before the show.”
Sajak has previously addressed rumors about his retirement, telling “Entertainment Tonight” last September that he couldn’t imagine himself still hosting “Wheel of Fortune” in ten years.
“We’re certainly closer to the end than the beginning,” Sajak said at the time. “I’d like to leave before people tune in and look at me and say, ‘Ooh, what happened to him? I wouldn’t bet on seeing us in, like, 10 years, I would say.”
In a separate interview, White also conveyed a similar opinion.
Before paying tribute to her co-host, the blonde beauty stated that she would “probably” quit the show before the decade is out.
“We’ve been together for like 38 years and he’s like my brother,” she stated about Sajak. “He’s funny. I mean, we could finish each other’s sentences if we wanted to. We know each other that well.”
Though it may be painful, the highly-paid duo might have to abandon their sought-after positions. According to reports, each earns eight figures annually. In 2016, Sajak supposedly made $15 million per year while White pulled in $10 million yearly. It’s probable they’ll make even more now after renewing their contracts last year.
It’s conceivable “Wheel of Fortune” has squandered too much money on its stars, with fans recently expressing disappointment over the show’s new design.
One displeased audience member said that the show’s new puzzle board looked “cheap.”
