Production on Wheel of Fortune was canceled Thursday when longtime host Pat Sajak was forced to undergo emergency surgery, EW has confirmed.
The host, 73, had to have surgery to correct a blocked intestine. The procedure was successful, and Vanna White will step in as host in his absence while he recovers.
“The Wheel of Fortune taping on Thursday was canceled because host Pat Sajak underwent successful emergency surgery to correct a blocked intestine,” the show’s social media accounts shared on Friday. “He is resting comfortably and looking forward to getting back to work. Taping resumed today as scheduled, and Vanna White has stepped in a host.”
The statement came with a photo of the Wheel of Fortune screens showing a message that read: “Get well soon Pat!”
Sajak has been the host of Wheel of Fortune ever since he took over the role in 1983. Since then, he has surpassed The Price Is Right‘s Bob Barker as the longest-running game show host for the same show. He was officially honored by the Guinness World Records for breaking the record earlier in 2019.
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