It turns out that even the most polished TV veterans can make on-air gaffes sometimes - just ask Pat Sajak!

It all went down in a recent episode of Wheel of Fortune, which the 74-year-old has now been hosting for 37 years. Sajak had viewers on the edge of their seats when he sort of blurted out the answer to a puzzle while the contestant was still working it out.

And guess what - the contestant didn't even notice!

The letters visible on the board at the time of the host's blunter on last Thursday's show were: "_ _ _ TE _ RAN _ L _".

The answer spelled out: "Quite frankly" but before it was even revealed, Sajak blurted out: "Well, I'd rather be standing here than there, QUITE FRANKLY."

However, the contestant wasn't paying attention and didn't manage to answer the puzzle correctly within the given time.

Hilariously, Sajak's co-host, Vanna White, 64, didn't let him get away with what could have been a real giveaway. She laughed as she asked him: "Did you hear what you said?"

Sajak told her: "I did, right after I said it. I wonder how many people at home caught it. There weren't many letters up there and I said, 'I'd rather be here than up there, quite frankly' -- which was the puzzle.

He went on to say: "But it goes to show you that people are concentrating and they're not paying any attention to me. It's funny what your mouth will say when your brain says, 'You shouldn't do that.'"

Ending the show, Sajak quipped: "Quite frankly, see you next time", with White adding: "Yes, we will!"

When the gaffe was posted to Wheel of Fortune's official YouTube channel, a number of viewers took the comments to share their thoughts.

One said: "I was thinking in the back of my mind for a while that it was only a matter of time before Pat let a puzzle solution slip - quite frankly."

Another added: "Can't believe Sajak gave away the bonus puzzle and if that's every other host doing that they would have been told to replace the answer."

A third said: "That's got to be the most embarrassing episode of Wheel of Fortune tonight."

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Pat Sajak has announced that he will retire from Wheel of Fortune after 41 seasons at the helm of the iconic game show.

The 76-year-old TV personality has been hosting the game show institution since 1981. He shared in a statement on social media that he will step away from the production after the end of his forthcoming season.

"Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last," Sajak wrote to his 18.8K followers on Twitter.

"It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)," he added.

After seeing his tweet about his retirement, many fans of the show flooded the comment section with well-wishes for the beloved TV host.

Author Carol Roth wrote: "Pat, the show will not be the same without you. Glad we get one more season! Thank you for all the great memories and entertainment and I hope that means more time for your great Twitter content."

One fan said: "Wow, can this be true? You deserve a break and ultimate happiness and freedom. Thank you for bringing us so many years and memories of some of the best times of our lives. You always delivered."

Another supporter commented: "Simply the best to do it, the beginning of our evenings will never be the same. Thank you for the memories, Pat."

A third shared: "Whenever Pat Is gone, you feel what a master he is. Keeps the focus on the game, makes the contestants comfortable, truly a legend. Thanks @patsajak!!! We love you!"

In another statement to Variety, Suzanne Prete, the EVP of Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television, revealed that Sajak will still serve as a consultant on the series for the next three years.

"As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years. We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season," Prete said.

"We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season," she added.

Sajak has consistently hosted Wheel of Fortune and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune since the Ronald Reagan presidency, fronting the daytime edition from 1981 to 1989 and then taking on nighttime duties in 1983.

The show has birthed some hilarious moments such as a contestant missing out on a $1 million prize after the "worst flub in recent memory" or another competitor leaving the live audience stunned after their wildly incorrect guess for the final remaining letter in a puzzle.

Sajak shared the stage with Vanna White - who has been co-hosting the series for four decades too. While she hasn't shared her thoughts on her partner retiring, she told PEOPLE last December that she wasn't ready to think about the duo not hosting Wheel of Fortune together.

"I don't even want to think about that. I mean, we're a team. That's depressing. I don't even want to think about it," the 66-year-old said at the time, adding that "it is" hard to imagine a world where neither herself nor Sajak is hosting the series.

"I just visualize us just being there. I can't think beyond that," she continued. White also shared that she has "no idea" whether the game show will continue on without them,

"I can't imagine. Everybody relates Wheel of Fortune to Pat and Vanna. We're like Ken and Barbie, you know? We've been in everybody's homes for 40 years, so it would be weird having somebody else turn my letters," she added.

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The Wheel of Fortune contestant who was "tackled" by the show's host Pat Sajak has spoken out about the bizarre incident.

As previously reported, Sajak made the strange decision to grapple a contestant named Fred Jackson, who was revealed to be a drama teacher, a bar quiz host, and a professional wrestler. Fred explained that, while he participates in wrestling purely because he really enjoys it - it doesn't pay enough to be his full-time occupation.

The gameshow showcased Fred's victory on their YouTube channel and after winning the bonus round by revealing the hidden phrase "his mind is wandering," he took home a staggering $75,800.

It was at this point that - while Fred was taking in the news that he'd won the money - Sajak asked the two other contestants: "Do you want me to body slam him for you? I can do that," before pinning Fred down. He then runs toward Fred and begins grappling him. The game show host grabbed Fred's arm and put it behind his back while using his other arm to grab his face.

But despite some viewers taking to social media to poke fun at the moment, Fred has revealed that he really enjoyed his unique interaction with the host.

Since the viral incident, Fred has spoken out about what happened, telling TMZ: "I loved that moment [...] Seeing the criticizing that [Sajak] gets online is a little unfair. I was the one who was put in the hold and I was perfectly okay with it."

He added that he understood that it might not have been everyone's sense of humor, but believes that trolling that Sajak received - as well as calls for him to retire - were the result of viewers "taking it a little too seriously."

Many fans have mirrored Fred's sentiments, with one person commenting: "Can't believe how Wheel fans can be so sensitive, critical, and judgmental. Lighten up, folks. Enjoy the humor."

"He was only playing with the guy, he wasn't serious," another user added.

A further person chimed in with: "Awesome Teacher/contestant , as for Pat at the end, its old school stuff playing around with people. Y'all won't understand it. Go back to your weird reality and leave pat Alone."

"Why is everyone making a big deal about the end? He was just messing around," another comment read.

What did you think of the situation? Was it as deep as people were making it out to be, or was it just a bit of harmless fun? Let us know in the comments!

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Pat Sajak bizarre "tackled" a Wheel of Fortune contestant after he revealed that he was a professional wrestler, and the entire thing was featured on the show.

Wheel of Fortune has been a fan favorite ever since it first hit screens in 1975 where players have to solve world puzzles to win cash prizes determined by a giant spinning wheel.

On Tuesday night, a player called Fred had his turn on the gameshow where he revealed to the host, Sajak, that he is a drama teacher, a bar quiz host, and a professional wrestler.

Fred explained that wrestling doesn't pay enough to be his full-time occupation, but that he participates in it purely because he really enjoys it.

The gameshow showcased Fred's victory on their YouTube channel and after winning the bonus round by revealing the hidden phrase "his mind is wandering," he took home a staggering $75,800.

The winner basked in his glory and embraced his father after the realization of what he had just won set in. He put his hands on his head and let out a big exhale as he was clearly in shock at winning the life-changing amount of money.

Out of nowhere, Pat runs toward Fred and begins grappling him. The game show host grabbed Fred's arm and put it behind his back while using his other arm to grab his face.

Prior to winning, when it was first revealed that Fred was a wrestler, Pat turned to the other contestants and asked: "Just because he’s a professional wrestler… you want me to body slam him for you?"

It would seem that the host tried to stay true to his word after Fred took home the money, and fans were quick to react when the clip was shared on social media.

Given that Fred took the sudden wrestling match with Pat in good spirits, one person commented: "That was a good one! The end was so funny," with a second confused viewer asking: "What was with Pat at the end?"

This isn't the only bizarre occurrence to happen on a game show lately, as the producers of Jeopardy! made a pretty big blunder and displayed the final scores before the game had even begun.

After the host, Mayim Bialik, welcomed the players, their final winnings were shown on the podiums meaning that watching the rest of the show seemed fairly pointless.

Appearing on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, executive producer Michael Davies apologized for the mistake while revealing that it was a series of human errors that led to the blunder.

Turns out game shows aren't just fun and games, and sometimes the host might try to wrestle you!

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Whoopi Goldberg has apparently thrown herself into the running as the new host of Wheel of Fortune after Pat Sajak announced his retirement.

The 76-year-old TV personality - who has been hosting Wheel of Fortune since 1981 - shared in a statement on social media that he will retire from the game show after 41 seasons.

He wrote on Twitter that he will step away from the production after the end of his forthcoming season in September, adding: "It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)."

It seems like there's a slot open for whoever will host the popular show which is why the 67-year-old EGOT winner staked her claim on Tuesday’s (June 13) episode of The View.

During a panel segment on her daily round table show, Alyssa Farah Griffin said: "Another legendary game show host, Pat Sajak, just announced that he's going to be retiring from Wheel of Fortune at the end of next season," to which Goldberg can be heard saying: "I want that job."

Griffin then asked Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings: "What's your reaction to the news? And any ideas on who should replace him?" and he said that he's optimistic that "Wheel's got an envelope that says what to do when" the host leaves following Jeopardy's "own succession crisis".

Co-host Joy Behar then chimed in and said: "Whoopi wants that job," and then Sister Act star - who is no stranger to game shows as she was a producer on the 1998 revival of Hollywood Squares - exclaimed once again: "I want that job. I think it would be lots of fun."

Behar quipped that she could step in for the tenured co-host Vanna White with Sara Haines so they could take "turns walking back and forth, pointing to the letters".

Sajak has consistently hosted Wheel of Fortune and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune since the Ronald Reagan presidency, fronting the daytime edition from 1981 to 1989 and then taking on nighttime duties in 1983.

The show has birthed some hilarious moments such as viewers being flabbergasted at how long it took contestants to guess the correct answer or competitors missing out on a $1 million prize after the "worst flub in recent memory".

Sajak isn’t leaving Wheel of Fortune just yet as the host will see through until season 41, which will premiere in the early fall. Also, Suzanne Prete, the EVP of Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television, revealed in a statement to Variety that he will still serve as a consultant on the series for the next three years.

"As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years. We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season," Prete said.

"We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season," she added.

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