'Wheel of Fortune' host Pat Sajak ends final episode with a surprise: ‘It’s been an incredible privilege’

It was a sad night for longtime "Wheel of Fortune" fans.

On Friday, the game show aired its "Thanks For the Memories" final episode with Pat Sajak, 77, as its host. The episode began with a flashback of Sajak's first episode in 1981, when he took over Chuck Woolery's role as host.

Following the toss-up round, Sajak said "most people know" that Friday evening was his last episode. He explained that because he needed to save time at the end of the episode to share a few words, Friday night's game was going to look a little different. 

"We're going to cut out a round, which kind of robs you people,'" Sajak told the three contestants. "Here's what I've decided. It's been a longtime since I spun the wheel. I'm going to spin it, and I'm going to add $1,000 to whatever I land on and everyone's going to get that amount."

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Sajak spun the wheel and landed on $1,000, bringing the total for the contestants to $2,000. 

"You know what? It's not my money. Let's give them all $5,000," Sajak said. 

Pat's longtime announcer, Jim, then said a few words.

"I want to thank you, Pat, for the past 13 years as your announcer, keeping me on my toes," Jim shared before introducing a brief commercial. 

"Thank you, Jim. You know I've been around for a long time, and you are the best. Thank you for all the work you've done here," Sajak said.

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During his last episode, which was taped in April and aired Friday evening, Sajak delivered an emotional goodbye speech. 

"Well, the time has come to say goodbye," he said. "I have a few thanks and acknowledgments before I go, and I want to start with all watching out there. It's been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade.

"I've always felt that the privilege came with the responsibility to keep this daily half hour a safe place for family fun," he added. "No social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing, I hope, just a game.

"But gradually it became more than that," he added. "A place where kids learned their letters, where people from other countries honed their English skills, where families came together along with friends and neighbors and entire generations.

"What an honor to play even a small part in all of that," Sajak concluded. "Thank you for allowing me into your lives. Every time we taped a show, I met three new people from all parts of this wonderful country and the world who were kind and considerate, who rooted for each other, who took great pride in talking about their family, their hometown, their friends, their schools, their jobs, even their pets.

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"In the end, they were the real stars of this show," he continued. "I genuinely like these people, and I'll miss the chance to meet more of them."

Sajak thanked the staff and crew he had worked with for decades. 

"To our staff and crew, particularly the veterans with whom I've shared this stage for five years, ten years, 20, 30, and more. It's been a joy working with you. Your skills and dedication and good humor made this place somewhere I've always wanted to be," Sajak said. "Everyone pulled together and cared about each other and this show. It worked because you made it work. It looked great because you made it look great. And you made my job so much easier.

"I want you to know that your efforts never went unnoticed by me nor unappreciated. I'll miss you guys," Sajak said.

Sajak noted "the best part of the last couple of years" was being able to work with his daughter, Maggie Sajak.

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"To watch her grow in her role and as a person. She interviewed me recently, and I talked about my life and the show. I hope you've seen some of it online. I really enjoyed doing it. I have to admit, it's a little weird to be interviewed by your own daughter, but she did a good job," Sajak said.

"Maggie is liked around here because she's talented and smart and funny, but she's loved around here because she's kind and caring and humble. Leslie and I are blessed to have two such wonderful kids," Sajak said. "There's Maggie, of course, and her fabulous brother, Patrick, and his new family. As for Leslie, she's been my wife and life partner for 35 years. I love her for who she is and what we are as a team."

Sajak took a moment to talk about his "professional other half," Vanna White.

"Like me, she takes the show very seriously, but not herself. I shudder to think what these 40 plus years might have been like had they brought someone in all full of themselves, playing the prima donna role," Sajak began. "Vanna is as sweet and unassuming as she seems. We've seen a lot of changes in each other's lives over the years, but we've always been there for each other." 

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Pat thanked Vanna for her goodbye speech during Thursday night's episode but noted it wouldn't be easy to get rid of him.

"While I'll very much miss working with her, I take solace in the fact that we live about 5 miles apart, so we'll see plenty of each other," he said. "But I will miss our nightly closes and her laughter and her good nature. She is a very special woman." 

Sajak shared that White will be returning to next season's "Wheel of Fortune," and fans will be seeing him on the small screen for the upcoming summer reruns.

"That's it. Thank you all so very much and goodbye," Sajak concluded his farewell speech.

During Thursday night's episode, White shared an emotional goodbye to Sajak.

"I can't believe that tomorrow is our last show together," White said in the clip, which aired during Thursday's episode. "I don't know how to put into words what these past 41 years have meant to me, but I'm going to try."

"Eight thousand episodes went by like that. When I first started, I was so green. You made me so comfortable and so confident, Pat. You made me who I am, you really did," she continued. 

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"As much fun as we’ve had on camera, those memories, milestones and life events we shared with our families outside the studio are my favorite," she said. "We've watched our children grow up together. We've traveled all over the world. We've eaten hundreds of meals together. We've laughed. We've cried. We've celebrated. What an incredible and unforgettable journey we've had.

"As this chapter of our lives is coming to an end, I know you'll still be close by," she concluded. "You're like a brother to me, and I consider you a true lifelong friend who I will always adore. I love you, Pat."

While Sajak is retiring from the world of game shows, he already has a new gig booked. He'll  appear in a Hawaii stage production of a show called "Prescription: Murder," according to Deadline.

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A week after Sajak's news was released in June 2023, it was announced Ryan Seacrest would be taking over as host in Season 42.