Wheel of Fortune Host Pat Sajak Returned to Standing Ovation

The world of game shows endured an emotional dilemma in recent months, when Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak missed three weeks of taping due to emergency surgery. Vanna White, who has served as Sajak’s longtime co-host on the series, filled in in his absence. Sajak returned to the long-running series on Monday night’s episode — and it looks like he was met with a pretty warm reception. The audience at the Wheel of Fortune taping gave him a standing ovation (via Yahoo! Entertainment), which Sajak responded to in a humble and amusing way.

“I don’t know whether you’re happy to see me or if you’re leaving because Vanna’s not hosting,” Sajak joked, while asking audiences to take their seats.

Sajak went on to praise White for hosting the show in his absence, stating “You were great. It’s a very tough thing to step into that… you were terrific.”

Sajak’s daughter Maggie also served as a letter-turner while White hosted the show, something that her father celebrated.

“You two made a very nice team,” Sajak said. “And I was a little nervous about how good you two were together, but that’s all right.”

Sajak’s surgery occurred in early November of last year, as the result of a blocked intestine.

“Our taping on Thursday was canceled because host Pat Sajak underwent successful emergency surgery to correct a blocked intestine,” a statement from the Wheel of Fortune producers read at the time. “He is resting comfortably and looking forward to getting back to work. Taping resumed today as scheduled and Vanna White has stepped in as host.”

As Sajak told Good Morning America, the complications around the surgery were scary, as his “blood pressure had fallen dramatically” and doctors “had to wait till it lifted a bit so they could do the surgery”.

“You couldn’t do anything. I was in [a] fetal position, lying on the bed,” he explained. “They try to give you various drugs for the pain. And none of it – none – was working. And then they gave me something, I couldn’t even tell you the name of it, but suddenly, I wasn’t thinking about the pain. I just had these beautiful pastels and lovely faces coming out of it.”

Sajak has been hosting Wheel of Fortune since 1981, and holds the record for the longest-tenured game show host in history. His current contract on the show extends through 2022.