I’d like to solve the puzzle, please.
Pat Sajak has officially announced his first acting gig since retiring from “Wheel of Fortune” after 41 seasons last year – and it will take place in Hawaii.
The legendary game show host, 78, is set to star onstage in a production of “Prescription: Murder” this summer at the Hawaii Theatre Center in Honolulu, per the facility’s website.
The show will run from July 31 through August 10, and it will feature Sajak as the psychiatrist Dr. Roy Flemming opposite KHON-TV Hawaii newscaster Joe Moore’s Lt. Columbo.
“Moore plays Lt. Columbo, a disheveled and seemingly bumbling detective who’s investigating Sajak’s brilliant psychiatrist Dr. Roy Flemming, who’s carried out an ingenious plan to murder his wife, and established a perfect alibi,” a preview for the play reads. “Columbo and the doctor engage in a cat and mouse duel of wits culminating in a surprising climax.”
Sajak and Moore have appeared together in several plays over the years, including the Hawaii Theatre production of “The Odd Couple” back in 2001.
Sadly, the pair also announced that “Prescription: Murder” will “likely be our final time onstage together.”
Gregory D. Dunn, the president and CEO of the Hawaii Theatre Center, told People that he was “very fortunate” to have Sajak and Moore return for one last play together to help “raise money” for the center.
“They’ve done six shows together over the years, and over that time, Pat has donated very generously his time and talents to raise money to support the nonprofit venue,” Dunn told the outlet shortly after Sajak’s last “Wheel of Fortune” episode aired in June 2024.
Dunn also praised the former game show host and thanked him for returning to the Hawaii Theatre Center once again after “Wheel of Fortune.”
“It’s really exciting as someone who has grown up with ‘Wheel of Fortune,’” he said. “I used to sit and watch the show with my grandmother when we were children.
“To be able to engage with him and recognize that he is the authentic and kind person you see on the show – that’s his true personality, and the way he interacts with people and his fellow actors and with the cast and crew,” Dunn continued. “He is really a talented actor who brings an immense amount of craft to the stage.
“Our audiences every year are delighted when they’re able to enjoy his performances on stage,” Dunn concluded. “We couldn’t be happier to welcome Pat back, and it really is something that we look forward to every couple of years.”
Sajak announced his retirement from “Wheel of Fortune” in 2023. His final episode aired on June 7, 2024.
Ryan Seacrest, 50, was named Sajak’s successor, with his first episode as the show’s new host premiering on September 9, 2024. However, he faced backlash for not mentioning Sajak during his first show.
Vanna White, who has co-hosted the long-running game show for more than 40 years, remains on “Wheel of Fortune.”
There were rumors that White, 68, might quit the gig over behind-the-scenes problems with Seacrest, but those claims have since been dispelled.
Sajak has also returned to host “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” following his retirement from the regular game show.