What To Know
- Jim Thornton, announcer for Wheel of Fortune since 2011, has been suspended.
- The investigation is reportedly linked to a May 14 incident on an American Airlines flight.
- Sony has begun recasting Thornton’s role while conducting a thorough investigation.
Updated 9/2/2026 3:03pm –Despite already filming a handful of Wheel of Fortune episodes for Season 44, producers are working hard to take announcer Jim Thornton out of them after his incident on a plane.
TMZ reports that a source told the publication that the first month of the game show has already been filmed, with Thornton as the announcer. Producers are re-editing those episodes with a new announcer, who has not yet been publicly named.
A source called this a “major undertaking.”
Updated 9/2/2026, 11:39am: Jim Thornton’s lawyer is shedding some light on the alleged incident that got the Wheel of Fortune announcer suspended.
Speaking with TMZ, his attorney said Thornton “did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime.”
“When questioned about the complaint made by a fellow passenger on the flight, law enforcement spoke to him for five minutes or less, immediately determined that no wrongdoing had occurred, and told my client he was free to go.”
Original Story: Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton has been suspended from his longtime role on the game show by Sony Pictures Television Studios as the company investigates unspecified allegations against him.
According to TMZ, Sony confirmed Thornton’s suspension on Tuesday, September 1, saying it had “recently been made aware of allegations” concerning the announcer. The studio said it is conducting a “thorough investigation” and has already begun the process of recasting his role. Thornton has served as the voice of Wheel of Fortune since 2011, introducing the contestants and hosts at the start of each episode.
Wheel Of Fortune/YouTube
The publication reports that the investigation stems from a May 14 incident aboard an American Airlines flight. Another passenger allegedly complained about Thornton to a flight attendant, prompting the pilot to arrange for law enforcement to meet the plane when it arrived at Los Angeles International Airport.
A rep from American Airlines told the publication: “On May 14, American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport following concerns reported by a customer onboard.”
No other details regarding the allegations are available at this time. However, according to the report, the incident escalated to the point that law enforcement met Thornton at the gate, where he was reportedly questioned before being allowed to leave.
American Airlines confirmed that officers met the flight following concerns raised by another passenger but did not elaborate on what happened.
In a statement to TMZ, Sony said: “We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton. He has been suspended from Wheel of Fortune, and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation.”
Thornton joined Wheel of Fortune in 2011 after the passing of longtime announcer Charlie O’Donnell. He also announces the primetime spinoff Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.
— Additional reporting by Brittany Sims
