Pat Sajak Wins First Emmy in 26 Years for Internet hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’

Pat Sajak is being honored for his longtime internet hosting duties on Wheel of Fortune for the ultimate time.

Sajak, who started internet hosting Wheel of Fortune in 1981 and formally retired in June 2024, took dwelling the award for excellent host for a recreation present on the 2024 Artistic Arts Emmys on Saturday, Sept. 7.

The 77-year-old tv character was not in attendance to simply accept the distinction, which additionally featured Superstar Household Feud‘s Steve Harvey, Jeopardy‘s Ken Jennings, Password‘s Keke Palmer, and Weakest Hyperlink‘s Jane Lynch as nominees within the class.

With the win for his closing season, Sajak earns his first Emmy in 26 years. He has been nominated 23 occasions and beforehand gained the Daytime Emmy for excellent recreation present host in 1993, 1997, and 1998. (The class moved from the Daytime Emmys to the Primetime Emmys in 2023, with the first Primetime award going to Palmer.)

Sajak additionally beforehand obtained a Lifetime Achievement Award on the 2011 Daytime Emmy Awards, alongside Jeopardy!‘s Alex Trebek.

Sajak took over Wheel of Fortune internet hosting duties from Chuck Woolery in 1981, with co-host Vanna White becoming a member of him the next 12 months. The 2 remained on the sequence for 4 many years earlier than Sajak introduced his retirement in June 2023.

On the time, he wrote through X (previously Twitter), “Properly, the time has come. I’ve determined that our forty first season, which begins in September, shall be my final. It’s been a beautiful journey, and I’ll have extra to say within the coming months. Many due to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll maintain the clickbait websites busy!)”

Weeks later, Ryan Seacrest was confirmed as his substitute, whereas White will keep on the present and proceed via the 2025-2026 season.

“It has been a little bit bit wistful and all that, however I am having fun with it and taking all of it in and reflecting on the good run,” Sajak beforehand mentioned of internet hosting the present. “Someplace alongside the road, we turned greater than a preferred present. We turned a part of the favored tradition. And extra importantly, we turned a part of individuals’s lives. And, that is been awfully gratifying.”

When it got here time for his closing episode on June 7, Sajak gave a touching speech the place he expressed his gratitude to his loyal viewers, his forged and crew, and his members of the family.

“Thanks for permitting me into your lives, each time we taped a present I met three new individuals from all elements of this excellent nation and the world who had been sort and thoughtful, who rooted for one another, who took nice pleasure in speaking about their household, their hometown, their mates, their colleges, their jobs, even their pets,” he mentioned. “Ultimately, they had been the actual stars of the present. I genuinely like these individuals and I am going to miss the prospect to satisfy extra of them.”

After paying his dues to the village of people that made Wheel of Fortune into what it’s right this moment, he addressed White, calling her his “skilled different half.”

“We have seen a whole lot of modifications in one another’s lives over time, however we have all the time been there for one another,” he mentioned. “Whereas I am going to very a lot miss working along with her, I take solace in the truth that we reside about 5 miles aside so we’ll see loads of one another. However I’ll miss our nightly closes and her laughter and her good nature.”

Although Sajak has formally retired from Wheel of Fortune, that will not be the final of him on tv screens. In July, it was introduced that he shall be returning to host the upcoming season of Superstar Wheel of Fortune, which premieres on Oct. 7. 

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Wheel of Fortune airs weeknights (examine native listings).