Wheel of Fortune Announcer Jim Thornton Suspended
‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host Ryan Seacrest Put in Headlock by Contestant
Wheel of Fortune will have a new announcer for the time being.
Sony Pictures Television said it suspended longtime announcer Jim Thornton from the ABC game show after undisclosed allegations were made against him.
“We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton,” a Sony spokesperson said in a Sept. 1 statement to E! News. "He has been suspended from Wheel of Fortune and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation.”
While Sony did not provide additional details about the allegations against Thornton, sources with direct knowledge told TMZ the alleged incident involved Thornton and a fellow passenger on an American Airlines flight in May.
Without identifying those involved, American Airlines said in a statement to E! News Sept. 1, "On May 14, American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) following concerns reported by a customer onboard."
E! News has reached out to ABC and American Airlines for comment but has not heard back. E! News has not been able to locate contact information for Thornton to seek comment.
The new announcer will join the crew two years after host Pat Sajak retired from the series and was replaced by Ryan Seacrest. Vanna White continues to serve as cohost.
Thornton first joined Wheel of Fortune in 2011 after the death of Charlie O’Donnell, who had held announcing duties from 1979 to 1980 and again from 1989 to 2010.
Disney/Eric McCandless
In addition to his work on the long-running game show, Thornton has lent his voice to Monsters, Inc. and The Cleveland Show, as well as several episodes of Celebrity Deathmatch. He was also the former afternoon anchor for Los Angeles radio station KNX 1070.
And while Wheel of Fortune audiences oftentimes only heard him on the program, Thornton did make his way in front of the camera during a 2023 bonus round when a contestant named Sarah Ward requested to meet him.
“I love Jim Thornton so much,” she exclaimed to host Sajak, who himself quipped at the time, “Did any money change hands at all?”
The camera cut to Thornton in his booth as he assured Sajak, “No, I promise, I promise, no!”
As Ward put it, “I just love him!”
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