Pat Sajak is stepping down from hosting Wheel of Fortune next year, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be bored out of his mind.
The 77-year-old TV icon has plenty to keep himself busy after he retires.
Pat has worked for Sony Pictures Television since 1981, but following the end of Season 41, he’ll no longer work in front of television cameras.
In June 2023, the legendary game show host announced that “the time had come” for him to hang up his hat as the host of Wheel of Fortune.
He announced it on a Wheel of Fortune Instagram post, calling his tenure on the long-running game show a “wonderful ride.”
“I’ll have more to say in the coming months,” Pat added. “Many thanks to you all.”
Once Season 41 ends, what will Pat do with all his free time?
Well, for starters, he’s a married father of two, so he’ll likely spend a lot more time with his wife of 34 years, Lesly, and their children, son Patrick and daughter Maggie.
When he isn’t enjoying quality time with his loved ones, Pat will have other business endeavors to occupy his time.
Pat Sajak will continue to serve as the board of trustees chairman for Hillsdale College
The Chicago native serves as the chairman of the Board of Trustees for Hillsdale College, an independent liberal arts college in southern Michigan, and will continue his work at the school.
Pat has served as vice chairman of the Hillsdale College Board of Trustees since October 2003.
Shortly after Pat’s retirement announcement, Hillsdale’s spokesperson Emily Stack Davis told USA TODAY, “We have benefitted from his wisdom, intellect, and good humor as chairman.”
“We look forward to continuing our important work together and to what we are sure will be a bright future for Mr. Sajak and his family,” Davis added.
Pat also owns real estate on both the East and West coasts, so he could split his time between Baltimore, Maryland, and Encino, California.
Ryan Seacrest will take over as the host of Wheel of Fortune following Season 41
Pat’s absence on Wheel of Fortune will be noticeable. After 42 years with the popular weeknight television program, it’ll likely take Wheel of Fortune viewers some time to get accustomed to the show’s future host, Ryan Seacrest.
As Monsters and Critics reported, Ryan was appointed Pat’s successor and quickly proclaimed his happiness to fill Pat’s shoes.
“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Ryan said on his Instagram feed on June 27, 2023.
Ryan called it a “privilege and pure joy” to watch Pat and his co-host, Vanna White, on Wheel of Fortune for two-plus decades together.
“I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White,” Ryan concluded his statement.
Pat teased his retirement plans with the help of his daughter, Maggie Sajak
After Pat announced the retirement, he had fun with his daughter on Instagram, Wheel of Fortune Social Correspondent Maggie Sajak.
In the clip below, when Maggie asked her dad what his plans are after retirement, he answered, “You know, I don’t know,” before joking that his phone had been ringing off the hook since the news broke.
Pat’s phone rang incessantly throughout their chat, and each time he answered, it was a different scam.
While Pat hasn’t shared the details about his retirement plans yet, we’re willing to bet he will take advantage of having much more free time on his plate.