Jim Thornton, the announcer for Wheel of Fortune since at least 2010, has been suspended from the long-running syndicated game show. Sony Pictures Television confirmed the move and said it would recast his role while it conducts an investigation into unspecified allegations.
According to Deadline, the suspension follows an alleged incident on an American Airlines flight in May. A passenger reportedly told a flight attendant about concerns involving Thornton, who was allegedly wearing a Wheel of Fortune-branded shirt on the plane. The story was first reported by TMZ, which wrote that "sources with direct knowledge tell us the pilot called ahead to have law enforcement meet Thornton when they arrived at the gate." An American Airlines spokesperson told Deadline: "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."
Sony Pictures Television addressed the situation in a statement provided to multiple outlets. "We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton," the company said. "He has been suspended from Wheel of Fortune and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation." Deadline reported that the recasting is considered temporary for now, as the investigation moves forward.
Thornton has been a fixture on the show for more than 15 years. According to Variety, he joined Wheel of Fortune after the death of longtime announcer Charlie O'Donnell and has also worked as a substitute announcer on The Price Is Right. He has appeared on more than 2,200 episodes of the show, according to Deadline, and has been part of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on ABC since its launch in 2021.
Before his time on Wheel of Fortune, Thornton spent decades in Los Angeles radio and television. He first joined KNX 1070 Newsradio in 1985 as a traffic reporter and later served as the station's afternoon anchor, a role that made him widely known in the L.A. market. Variety noted that he also served as the voice of KCOP-TV for four years and worked with Westwood One Radio Networks. His broadcast honors include an Edward R. Murrow award, Golden Mike awards, and an Emmy.
His other credits extend beyond news and game shows. Thornton voiced the character Johnny Gomez on Celebrity Deathmatch, served as an announcer on The Cleveland Show and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, and appeared as a commercial narrator in the 2001 animated film Monsters, Inc. He also voiced the 2011 Oscar-nominated short animated film Let's Pollute.
As of this writing, Wheel of Fortune remains the top-rated syndicated television program in the country. The Hollywood Reporter noted that according to Nielsen data from early August, the show drew more than 8 million viewers, placing it ahead of Jeopardy!, Family Feud, and Dateline. The show is currently hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White. Both Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are produced by Sony Pictures Television.
No timeline has been given for when the investigation will conclude or whether Thornton could return to the role.