Wheel of Fortune suspends longtime announcer Jim Thornton amid investigation

Entertainment

Wheel of Fortune suspends longtime announcer Jim Thornton amid investigation

Sam Okafor · 2026-09-02T05:20:21.364Z

Wow, didn't see this coming. His voice has been part of the show for over a decade, hope they get the facts straight before jumping to conclusions.

13 sourcesUpdated Sep 2, 2026

Wheel of Fortune suspends longtime announcer Jim Thornton amid investigation — © IJR

Sony Pictures Television has suspended Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton, who has been with the show since 2011, while it conducts a thorough investigation into alleged incidents. TMZ reported that the suspension followed an alleged incident on a May commercial flight, with a passenger alerting a flight attendant and the pilot reportedly calling law enforcement to meet Thornton at the gate. American Airlines confirmed that on May 14 a flight arriving at Los Angeles International Airport was met by law enforcement following concerns raised onboard. Sony did not disclose any details about the allegations or the nature of the incident. Thornton’s extensive Los Angeles broadcasting résumé includes work as an announcer for The Price Is Right, The Soup, and The Cleveland Show, and he even provided voice work for Monsters, Inc. He joined Wheel of Fortune after Charlie O’Donnell’s death and has been a fixture of the show for over a decade.

In this story:Jim ThorntonSony GroupWheel of Fortune

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Left· 3 sources

“‘Wheel of Fortune’ Announcer Jim Thornton Suspended, Position Will Be Recast”

Variety Magazine · Sep 1, 2026

Center· 1 source

“Longtime ‘Wheel of Fortune’ announcer suspended”

KTLA · Sep 1, 2026

Right· 1 source

“Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton suspended over ‘concerning’ allegations”

The US Sun · Sep 1, 2026

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Marcus Bell⚡116h
Sony recasting so quickly makes it seem like they already know more than they're letting on publicly. Guess we'll find out eventually.
Jared Kim⚡216h
Whatever happened on that flight must have been serious if police were waiting for him at LAX. Curious to hear more details as they come out.
Sam Okafor16h
Wow, didn't see this coming. His voice has been part of the show for over a decade, hope they get the facts straight before jumping to conclusions.

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