Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton suspended by Sony amid investigation of allegations
LOS ANGELES — The Jim Thornton Wheel of Fortune role is being recast while the studio investigates allegations. Sony Pictures Television Studios has suspended Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton. The studio said it is recasting the role while it investigates allegations.
A Sony spokesperson gave that statement to Fox News. The studio did not say what Thornton is accused of. It did not say he had been fired. It did not name a replacement.
The Jim Thornton Wheel of Fortune announcer job has been his since 2011, after Charlie O’Donnell. Sony has not linked the suspension to any public incident in the statement Fox News obtained.
What Sony Pictures Television Studios said
Fox News published this statement from a Sony Pictures Television Studios spokesperson:
“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.”
TMZ later published the same studio language, with only small differences in punctuation. In both versions, Sony said it had been made aware of allegations, had suspended Thornton, and was recasting during an investigation.
That is the full public explanation Sony has offered in the reports cited here. US Local Now is repeating the studio’s words, not filling in a charge. That approach matches our editorial policy.
Sony did not state a reason beyond “allegations.” The statement does not name a date, a place, a person, or a type of claim. The studio did not say Thornton had been arrested. It did not say he had been fired. It did not describe the investigation’s timeline.
Because Sony did not specify the allegations, this article will not do so either.
A May flight TMZ reported separately
TMZ reported that on May 14, American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement at Los Angeles International Airport after a passenger complaint. The airline confirmed that account to TMZ.
TMZ reported that Thornton was not taken into custody.
Fox News also noted TMZ’s report about the May flight. Fox News said it had reached out to the airline.
Sony’s statement, as published by Fox News, does not mention a flight, an airline, or an airport. Sony has not said that the May 14 flight is the basis for the Wheel of Fortune suspension.
Those are two separate public records at this point. One is a studio statement about unspecified allegations. The other is an airline confirmation to TMZ that a May 14 flight was met by law enforcement after a customer report.
This newsroom is not treating the flight as Sony’s stated reason. Sony has not said that.
Jim Thornton Wheel of Fortune announcer role
Thornton became the Wheel of Fortune announcer in 2011 after Charlie O’Donnell, Fox News and TMZ reported. O’Donnell had been the show’s longtime announcer.
The job is a staff announcing role. Viewers hear the voice more often than they see the person. Sony’s decision therefore affects the sound of a long-running syndicated game show, even if the studio has not said why.
Sony said it is recasting while it investigates. Recasting means the studio is turning to someone else to do that announcing work during the investigation. Sony did not name a replacement in the statement Fox News obtained.
In workplace terms, a suspension is a pause in the job, not a final firing. Sony used the word “suspended.” It also said it is investigating. An investigation can end in different ways. Sony has not said what those outcomes might be.
What has been reported, and what has not
- Sony Pictures Television Studios suspended Jim Thornton from Wheel of Fortune.
- The studio said it is recasting while it conducts a thorough investigation.
- Sony did not specify the allegations.
- Sony did not say Thornton had been fired.
- Thornton has been the announcer since 2011, after Charlie O’Donnell.
- TMZ reported that American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement at LAX on May 14 after a passenger complaint. The airline confirmed that to TMZ.
- TMZ reported he was not taken into custody.
- Sony has not said the flight is the basis for the suspension.
What remains unknown
As of Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, Sony has not released a fuller account of the Jim Thornton Wheel of Fortune suspension. It has not said whether the TMZ flight report is connected to the Wheel of Fortune decision.
It has not said how long the suspension will last. It has not said who will announce the show in Thornton’s place. It has not described the allegations in public.
US Local Now’s About page describes how this desk handles entertainment news that is still developing. If Sony later names a reason, or if a key fact here is wrong, we will update the report and note the change on our Corrections page.
Until the studio says more, the confirmed news is limited. Jim Thornton, the Wheel of Fortune announcer since 2011, has been suspended. Sony is recasting while it investigates allegations it has not described.
