Pat Sajak Causes Contestant to ‘Panic’ During Tense ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Moment: ‘Oh My Lord’

In his final season as Wheel of Fortune host, Pat Sajak is definitely going out with a bang. The game show icon did not hold back from voicing his true thoughts during a nerve-racking segment on the show on Tuesday, January 9.

During the awkward TV blunder, contestant Ashley McFarland attempted to solve a puzzle in a category called “What Are You Doing?” It was clear throughout the segment that she was very nervous, with Pat, 77, saying, “It’s too early to panic.”

Just moments later, when the stakes were raised and Ashley had a slew of wrong guesses for the puzzle, he said, “Now you can panic.” The answer to the puzzle ended up being “Browsing the Aisles,” which Ashley was not able to guess correctly.

Pat was visibly shocked, muttering, “Oh my lord,” under his breath. Ashley let out a nervous laugh, which was met with a few seconds of awkward silence. “You alright?” he asked her, to which she responded, “I’m good.” Members of the audience giggled as the two stood in silence in front of the camera.

Had Ashley solved the puzzle correctly, she would have walked away with a new BMW. Still, for her efforts throughout the episode, she earned $23,398 and ended the show with a smile on her face.

For Pat, hosting season 41 of Wheel of Fortune has been bittersweet, as he will be passing the baton to Ryan Seacrest ahead of season 42.

“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all,” he said in a statement to Closer in June 2023.

Vanna White is set to remain on the program as the letter-turner next season.

“Of course, being next to Vanna, she’s a legend. She’s an icon,” Ryan, 49, told E! News in December 2023 of getting to work with Vanna, 66. “We spent a little [time] shooting some promos for next season, and she’s just so down to earth. She’s exactly what you would expect.”

For the entertainment mogul, adding Wheel of Fortune host to his résumé is a dream come true.

“It’s just so exciting to think about being on that set,” he continued. “I’ve watched the show for so many decades. I’m a fan of the show, and the game is the star.”