Pat Sajak Disappeared On Wheel Of Fortune Bonus Round And Now We Know Why
Pat Sajak swapped places with Jim Thornton because a contestant was a big fan.
Pat Sajak, the host of Wheel of Fortune, skipped the bonus round of the April 26 episode, leaving game show fans confused. While fans voiced their confusion on social media, the explanation made perfect sense. The 76-year-old just swapped places with announcer Jim Thornton since Sarah, the contestant who made it to the final round, was a huge fan.
As such, the show decided to have Pat Sajak and Jim Thornton temporarily trade places as a surprise. The game show’s popular host operated the announcer’s booth while his counterpart joined Sarah on the stage. Although she failed to solve the final puzzle and missed out on the $40,000 prize, the moment was still very special.
The surprise came after Sarah told Pat Sajak how much she loved Jim Thornton earlier in the show. “How could someone not?” she said via E! News. “His voice is so soothing and energizing. He’s hilarious and just such a good person.” The Wheel of Fortune contestant said she sometimes worries when she doesn’t hear his voice.
“I had so much fun,” Sarah told Jim after the bonus round was over. “And we got to do it together!” A few seconds later, a shot of Pat Sajak filled the screen as he handled announcing duties by reminding viewers about the bonus puzzle. He also prompted folks to visit the show’s website for a chance to win a family vacation.
Pat Sajak returned to his regular spot soon after. “Did I miss anything?” he asked Vanna White as the episode drew to a close. Later, the Wheel of Fortune social media pages mentioned the swap, saying, “Who is this guy, and what has he done with Pat [Sajak]?” A similar sentiment was echoed on Instagram.
Pat Sajak is always making headlines for his antics on the show, like the time he attempted to bodyslam a contestant. But they aren’t always as sweet as the surprise for Sarah. During a different episode, the popular host seemed annoyed by a contestant named Lori, who kept repeating her letters. “Since you did it multiple times, we’ll give you multiple T’s,” the longtime TV star said.
As she tried to solve a puzzle in the “What Are You Wearing” category, Lori repeated her letters once more, saying, “I’d like to buy an ‘E’ please- ‘E!’” But this time Pat Sajak wasn’t amused and responded abruptly, saying, “Yeah… there’s three ‘E’s,’ I heard you. I got it.” Despite his sometimes odd reactions, the 76-year-old has been a popular figure on American television.
Pat Sajak has hosted Wheel of Fortune since 1981 and received three Outstanding Game Show Host Emmy Awards for his efforts. Along with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the television personality was presented with the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 2011.
In April 2018, Pat Sajak was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame along with co-host Vanna White and former Wheel of Fortune executive producer Harry Friedman. Before landing his longtime game show gig, the host worked as a weatherman for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles.
