One of the most familiar voices on American television has suddenly been pulled from the job.

Sony Pictures Television Studios has suspended longtime Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton while it investigates allegations involving him.

The studio says the announcer role is being recast while the investigation moves forward.

That is a major disruption for a man whose voice has been part of the show for more than 15 years.

TMZ broke the news Tuesday and shared Sony’s confirmation shortly afterward:

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Fox News Digital independently obtained Sony’s statement Tuesday night, confirming that the studio had recently learned of allegations concerning Thornton and had already taken him off the show.

Sony said Thornton had been suspended from Wheel of Fortune and that his role was being recast while the company conducts what it called a thorough investigation.

The studio did not identify the allegations, explain when it learned of them or announce who will replace Thornton behind the microphone. It also gave no timetable for completing the investigation.

Fox also noted that Thornton became the show’s permanent announcer in 2011 after the death of Charlie O’Donnell. His long career includes work for KNX radio, The Price Is Right, The Cleveland Show and Pixar’s Monsters, Inc.

Thornton has spent most of his Wheel of Fortune tenure off camera, but his voice is woven into the rhythm of every episode.

Fox reported that his broadcasting work has earned him an Emmy and an Edward R. Murrow award.

That history makes the abrupt recasting especially significant. Sony is preparing the show to continue without a broadcaster who has occupied the role since Ryan Seacrest was still years away from replacing Pat Sajak as host.

The mystery surrounding the suspension is driving much of the attention, but the known facts are narrower than some online speculation suggests.

TMZ reported that the allegations are connected to a May incident aboard an American Airlines flight.

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According to the outlet, another passenger complained to a flight attendant about Thornton. The pilot then arranged for law enforcement to meet the aircraft when it reached the gate at Los Angeles International Airport.

American Airlines confirmed that Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement at LAX on May 14 after a customer reported concerns onboard. The airline’s statement did not name Thornton, identify what the customer reported or describe any conduct by another passenger.

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TMZ reported that officers questioned Thornton and then released him at the airport. The outlet also said he was wearing a Wheel of Fortune jacket during the flight, but did not say when Sony first learned of the complaint.

The outlet did not report that Thornton was arrested, booked or removed from the airport in custody. It also did not identify the passenger, describe the alleged behavior or report that criminal charges followed the brief police encounter.

Thornton’s attorney later pushed back hard against any suggestion that the encounter established criminal wrongdoing.

The attorney told TMZ that Thornton did not engage in illegal conduct, was not arrested and has not been charged with a crime. He said officers spoke with Thornton for less than five minutes before telling him he was free to leave.

TMZ also reported that Thornton appeared on Tuesday night’s episode after the suspension became public. The program had been recorded earlier, meaning his voice could still be heard on television even as Sony was preparing to recast the position.

That distinction was also being emphasized as the story spread Wednesday:

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The news quickly spread as viewers tried to make sense of a suspension announced without details of the underlying allegation:

NBC New York, carrying TODAY’s report, separately reported that Sony confirmed the suspension directly to the outlet.

American Airlines also gave TODAY the same core account of the May 14 flight response: law enforcement met Flight 1276 after concerns were reported by a customer onboard.

The outlet reported that Thornton, 66, began as a guest announcer after O’Donnell’s death and officially took over as the show’s main announcer in 2011. He has also announced Celebrity Wheel of Fortune since 2021.

TODAY counted nearly 3,000 episodes in Thornton’s run and noted that he occasionally moved from the unseen announcer’s booth into the spotlight. In a 2023 bonus round, contestant Sarah Ward asked to meet him, prompting an on-camera appearance alongside Sajak.

The report also placed the shakeup against another major transition for the franchise. Seacrest began hosting with Vanna White in 2024, and the next regular season is scheduled to premiere September 14.

Thornton could still be heard on Tuesday night’s episode after the suspension became public. That episode had been recorded in advance, so his appearance was not evidence that Sony had reversed course.

There are two important truths here at the same time.

Sony has confirmed a real suspension and an active investigation. Thornton has also not been arrested or charged, and the public still does not know what conduct is being investigated.

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That means the responsible move is to report what is confirmed, leave rumor out of it and wait for Sony or Thornton’s representatives to disclose more.

For now, Wheel of Fortune is moving ahead without the voice millions of viewers have heard for years, while one big question remains unanswered: what exactly prompted Sony to remove him?

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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