Jim Thornton‘s future on “Wheel of Fortune” took a dramatic turn this week. The longtime announcer became the subject of an investigation after a troubling incident. The situation involved messages reportedly seen on his computer during a flight. Now, the game show has made a decision about his role.
Jim Thornton has been fired from Wheel of Fortune.
Sony Pictures Television Studios confirmed Thornton’s firing Friday, as per TMZ reports. A spokesperson said the decision followed a “thorough investigation.” The studios immediately terminated his employment with “Wheel of Fortune.”
The decision came days after the airline incident was reported. Thornton was flying American Airlines to Los Angeles in May. A passenger reportedly spotted his screen and became concerned with what she saw.
The passenger alerted a flight attendant about the messages. The flight attendant then notified the pilot about the situation. Authorities met the plane after it landed at Los Angeles International Airport.
Law enforcement questioned Thornton about what happened. Authorities ultimately allowed him to leave the airport. They have not charged Thornton with a crime connected to the incident.
Photos reportedly showed disturbing messages mentioning children. One message referred to “a couple of cute boys and a hot little girl.” Other messages reportedly included references to “CP,” commonly used for child pornography.
Thornton’s lawyer previously described the situation as a misunderstanding. She said Thornton regularly visited a suicide prevention chat forum. Thornton claimed someone accidentally sent him the wrong website link. He reportedly left after realizing he had accessed the wrong forum.
However, the timestamps appeared to show a longer visit. The photos reportedly indicated he remained in the chat for nearly an hour. His lawyer declined to comment on his firing.
The show also removed Thornton from its social media channels. An interim announcer will replace him. The new season begins on September 14. The firing now ends Thornton’s run with the popular game show. Sony’s investigation ultimately determined his employment would end immediately.
