Pat Sajak’s Next Project After ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Isn’t What You’d Expect! What He’s Doing After Retiring
The longtime host alongside Vanna White is turning his attention to the stage
In June of 2023, loyal viewers of Wheel of Fortune were saddened to learn of longtime host Pat Sajak’s retirement from the show. Sajak, who had been host since 1981 alongside Vanna White, announced his departure in a tweet, saying, “Well, the time has come. 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!)”
Ryan Seacrest is set to replace the 77-year-old television personality with the start of season 42, but that doesn’t mean that Sajak will be living out his retirement like others might. As a matter of fact, the famed host is likely to be just as booked and busy as he was before!
Pat Sajak’s next project after his ‘Wheel of Fortune’ retirement
Sajak will join forces with his pal Joe Moore, a KHON-TV Hawaii newscaster, on the stage. Bringing to life the play Prescription: Murder, you can catch Sajak’s latest endeavor at Honolulu’s Hawaii Theatre, but not for quite a bit — the play will run from July 31 to August 10 in 2025.
Prescription: Murder, which was adapted into the TV series Columbo, will feature Sajak as the character of Roy Flemming, who “hatches a plot with a perfect alibi to murder his neurotic and possessive wife,” reports Variety. Moore will bring to life the character of Lt. Columbo, “The seemingly bumbling detective who engages the psychiatrist in a cat-and-mouse battle of wits right up to the play’s surprising climax.”
Sajak and Moore go way back, having served side by side at the American Forces Vietnam Network in Saigon and acting together in countless plays over the years.
Pat Sajak said an emotional goodbye to ‘Wheel of Fortune’
Despite there being exciting endeavors on the horizon for Sajak, his departure from Wheel of Fortune was bittersweet and felt by all around him.
White, who stood by his side as co-host throughout the duration of his Wheel of Fortune run, shared a gut-wrenching, tear-inducing tribute to her longtime friend and colleague ahead of their final show together.
“I don’t know how to put into words what these past 41 years have meant to me,” she began in a goodbye video.
“When I first started, I was so green. You made me so comfortable and made me so confident, Pat.” She continued, “You made me who I am. You really did. As the years have gone by, we’ve grown up on television, but we’ve also shared so much more behind the scenes. And as much fun as we had on camera, those memories, milestones and life events we shared with our family outside the studio are my favorite.”
The 67-year-old television personality tearfully concluded, “As this chapter of our lives is coming to an end, I know you’ll still be close by. You’re like a brother to me, and I consider you a true, lifelong friend, who I will always adore. I love you, Pat.”
In an interview conducted by his daughter Maggie ahead of his final show, when asked how he feels, Sajak explained that he’s doing “surprisingly, okay.”
He explained, “You know, this was announced a long time ago, almost a year ago, so I’ve had time to sort of get used to it. And it’s been a little bit wistful and all that, but I’m enjoying it and taking it all in and reflecting on a great run.”
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