"Wheel of Fortune" announcer Jim Thornton has been suspended by producer Sony Pictures Television, which said it is recasting his role while it investigates allegations against him. The move follows an incident reported by TMZ involving a commercial flight in May, during which a passenger raised concerns to a flight attendant, reportedly prompting the pilot to arrange for law enforcement to meet Thornton on arrival.

Thornton has voiced "Wheel of Fortune" since 2010 and "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" since 2021, having taken over after the death of predecessor Charlie O'Donnell. Sony Pictures TV confirmed the suspension in a statement, saying it had "recently been made aware of allegations" and was conducting "a thorough investigation." A veteran Los Angeles broadcaster, Thornton has decades of radio and voiceover credits, including KNX 1070 Newsradio, "Celebrity Deathmatch" and "Monsters, Inc.," and has won an Edward R. Murrow award, Golden Mikes and an Emmy.