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Emotions are running high as Pat Sajak‘s final “Wheel of Fortune” episode approaches.
During his last episode, which was taped in April and airs 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 always felt that the privilege came with the responsibility to keep this daily half hour a safe place for family fun,” he continued. “No social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing I hope, just a game.”
‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ HOST PAT SAJAK SHARES REASON BEHIND HIS DECISION TO RETIRE FROM GAME SHOW
Pat Sajak’s final “Wheel of Fortune” episode airs June 7. (Getty Images)
“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.”
WATCH: ‘WHEEL OF FORTUNE’ HOST PAT SAJAK DELIVERS SPEECH DURING FINAL EPISODE
VideoOn Thursday, co-host Vanna White bid a final farewell to her “brother” in a tear-jerking video.
“I can’t believe that tomorrow is our last show together,” White said in the clip, which was 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.”
“8000 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.
“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.”
Sajak and White have supported each other throughout major moments in their lives. (Photo by: Ron Tom/NBCU Photo Bank)
“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’s set to appear in a Hawaii stage production of a show called “Prescription: Murder,” according to Deadline.
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In June 2023, Sajak announced he was exiting the show.
Sajak first announced his retirement in June 2023. (ABC/Christopher Willard)
“Well, the time has come,” Sajak wrote in a statement. “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. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)”
In response to Sajak’s exit news, White posted, “When we started @WheelofFortune who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later? I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you, @patsajak!”
In 1975, the game show premiered withChuck Woolery and Susan Stafford leading the show as hosts. It was not until 1982 that Sajak and White stepped in as co-hosts.
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“It was a perfect storm in a lot of ways,” Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital. “Timing, tempo, and teamwork. When you look at the timing, game shows reached their zenith in the 1960s and 70s … the timing [of Sajak and White’s takeover] was like the last few clicks at the top of the roller coaster climb, when it comes to American viewing habits.
Together, Sajak and White became the dynamic duo that would eventually take over primetime television.
White delivered a tear-jerking goodbye to “brother” Sajak on the eve of his final episode. (Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty Images)
“Vanna was equally responsible for the show’s success,” Rob Weiner, Popular Culture Librarian at Texas Tech University, told Fox News Digital. “The way those two interacted captivated audiences.”
“They became as popular as the show itself, yet they never allowed themselves to become bigger than the show,” Eldridge said. “In this day and age, you would never see that.”
A week after Sajak’s news was released, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would be taking over as host in Season 42.
Christina Dugan Ramirez is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.
