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Pat Sajak is in recovery after undergoing an emergency surgery.
In a statement shared to the Wheel of Fortune Twitter, the show revealed they canceled Thursday’s taping of the game show due to Sajak undergoing emergency surgery to “correct a blocked intestine.” They share, “He is resting comfortably and looking forward to getting back to work.”
Despite Pat being bedridden, the show must go on! Production on the 37th season resumed on Friday and in his absence his counterpart, Vanna White, is taking on the role of host.
This upcoming season will air on TV on Dec. 9.
There’s no doubt that Pat Sajak will be back on-set in no time. In the long Wheel of Fortune history, Sajak and White have rarely taken a break from their duties. The few occasions Vanna has been absent for extended periods of time were due to the death of her husband John Gibson and to go on a honeymoon with her second husband George San Pietro.
Likewise, Pat’s taken few days off in the over 35-years he’s been host of the syndicated program.
Interestingly enough, he’s recognized as the longest-running game show host ever, surpassing the record of even Bob Barker of The Price Is Right. Moreover, the show celebrated its 7,000th episode this May.
It’s safe to say they won’t be going away any time soon.