Sony Pictures Television has ended Jim Thornton’s tenure as the announcer of Wheel of Fortune, cutting ties with one of the franchise’s most familiar voices following an investigation connected to an alleged incident on an American Airlines flight in May.
“Following a thorough investigation, Jim Thornton’s employment with Wheel of Fortune has been terminated, effective immediately,” a studio spokeswoman told Deadline.
The decision removes Thornton from the syndicated game show after more than a decade behind the microphone. He had served as announcer on Wheel of Fortune since 2011 and later added announcing duties for ABC’s Celebrity Wheel of Fortune when that series launched in 2021. Across his time with the franchise, Thornton worked on more than 2,200 episodes.
Sony’s move followed what Deadline described as a rapid sequence of developments. Thornton had been suspended three days before his firing, the announcer role had already been recast, and the studio had opened an investigation. Sony confirmed that Thornton’s employment has been terminated, but the studio did not provide additional detail in the supplied material about the specific findings of its review.
The flight incident under review
The investigation was linked to an alleged incident aboard American Airlines Flight 1276 on May 14. An American Airlines spokesperson told Deadline that law enforcement met the plane when it arrived at Los Angeles International Airport after a passenger reported concerns during the flight.
“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,” the airline spokesperson said.
Deadline also reported that TMZ described the episode as involving Thornton allegedly visiting a chatroom used by “people with pedophilic thoughts.” The details remain tied to the reported flight incident and the subsequent Sony review. In the material provided, Sony has not publicly elaborated on the conclusions of its investigation beyond confirming Thornton’s termination.
The nature of the allegation makes the studio’s handling of the matter especially consequential for a family-facing television institution. Still, the confirmed record is limited to the airline’s statement about law enforcement meeting the flight, the reports connecting the incident to Sony’s investigation, and the studio’s statement that Thornton is no longer employed by Wheel of Fortune.
A new announcer for both shows
Thornton’s departure creates an immediate change across the Wheel of Fortune brand. An interim announcer is set to take over when the upcoming season of the syndicated series premieres September 14. The same interim replacement will also announce Celebrity Wheel of Fortune when it returns to ABC on October 2.
Although the announcer is not an on-camera role, the position is central to the show’s presentation. Thornton’s voice had been part of the daily syndicated series for more than 10 years, and it extended to the celebrity edition from that program’s debut. With Sony moving to an interim replacement, viewers of both versions of the franchise will hear a different voice when the shows return.
Before joining Wheel of Fortune, Thornton was best known as the afternoon anchor on Los Angeles news radio station KNX 1070. His other voice work included announcing The Price Is Right, along with voice appearances on Celebrity Deathmatch and The Cleveland Show.
What happens next?
For now, Sony Pictures Television has confirmed only the immediate employment decision and the interim replacement plan. Thornton is out at Wheel of Fortune effective immediately, and the franchise is moving forward with a new announcer in place for both the syndicated show and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.
The studio has not announced further details in the supplied material about the investigation’s findings or any longer-term plan for the announcer role beyond the interim arrangement.