‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Pat Sajak Says ‘The End Is Near’ After 40 Years

“In most television shows by this time, you would have said, ‘That’s probably enough,’ but this show will not die,” Sajak, 75, told Entertainment Tonight.

Wheel of Fortune began in 1975, and Sajak came on board in 1981. In his four-decade tenure, Sajak and co-host Vanna White, 65, have become the faces of the series.

Looking ahead to his next steps in life, the emcee said, “It appears I may go before the show.”

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“It’s an honor to have been in people’s living rooms for that long. People were out there welcoming us. We’re happy and proud,” said Sajak, who also quips with celebs on the show’s Celebrity Wheel of Fortune spin-off (his one wish list contestant? Meryl Streep).

“Years go by fast,” Sajak acknowledged. But, he said, “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.”

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Sajak celebrated his 40-year hosting anniversary in December with a tribute from his daughter, Maggie. “Happy 40th Wheel-iversary to this guy!” she tweeted alongside a throwback of her father hosting the series. “On this day in 1981, @patsajak hosted his very first episode of @WheelofFortune… and the rest is history!”

The steadfast host has stepped away from the series only once to undergo surgery for a blocked intestine, giving White the chance to host.