“Wheel of Fortune” announcer Jim Thornton has been suspended from the long-running game show and is being temporarily recast while Sony Pictures Television Studios investigates allegations against him, the studio confirmed this week.
“We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton,” the studio said in a statement to Fox News Digital, adding that it is “recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation.” Mr. Thornton, 61, was not given further detail on the nature of the allegations, and the studio has not said how long the recasting will last.
TMZ was first to report the suspension, saying the allegations stem from an incident aboard an American Airlines flight in May in which a fellow passenger complained about Mr. Thornton’s behavior. According to the outlet, sources said the flight’s pilot arranged to have law enforcement meet Mr. Thornton at the gate upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport; officers questioned him before releasing him without further action. American Airlines confirmed the flight was met by law enforcement “following concerns reported by a customer onboard,” though the carrier did not name Mr. Thornton in its statement.
Mr. Thornton has served as the permanent announcer for “Wheel of Fortune” since 2011, after appearing as one of several guest announcers following the 2010 death of longtime voice Charlie O’Donnell. He has since announced nearly 3,000 episodes and has also worked on “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” since its 2021 debut. His other credits include voice work on “The Cleveland Show,” “Celebrity Deathmatch” and Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc.”
The suspension comes more than two years after Pat Sajak stepped down as the show’s longtime host in 2024, when Ryan Seacrest took over alongside Vanna White.
Mr. Thornton has not personally commented publicly on his suspension. His attorney has denied that he engaged in illegal conduct and said he was neither arrested nor charged.
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