Wheel of Fortune Announcer Jim Thornton Suspended Amid Probe

Jim Thornton, the longtime announcer for the American game show Wheel of Fortune, has been suspended by the program's production company, Sony Pictures Television (SPT). The move comes as the studio conducts an investigation into unspecified allegations against him.

In a statement, SPT confirmed the suspension and said it is actively recasting the announcer position. The company noted that it had recently become aware of the allegations and is taking the matter seriously while the investigation proceeds.

While the studio did not disclose the nature of the claims, reports suggest the matter relates to an incident that allegedly occurred on a commercial flight earlier this year. No further details have been made public.

Thornton, who has been the voice of Wheel of Fortune since 2011, is a familiar presence to viewers, though he remains behind the scenes compared to hosts Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White. Before his long tenure on the show, he also provided voice work for episodes of The Price Is Right on CBS.

The game show, a staple of American television for decades, recently saw an Indian adaptation earlier this year, hosted by actor Akshay Kumar, which aired from January through April.