Sajak left the network version in January 1989 to host his own late-night talk show, while remaining as host of the nighttime Wheel. Woolery left in 1981, and was replaced by Sajak. The network version was originally hosted by Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford. (The network daytime and syndicated nighttime versions aired concurrently from 1983 until the former's conclusion.) The original version of Wheel was a network daytime series that ran on NBC from January 6, 1975, to June 30, 1989, and subsequently aired on CBS from July 17, 1989, to Januit returned to NBC on January 14, 1991, and was cancelled that year, ending on September 20, 1991. It stars Pat Sajak and Vanna White as hosts, who have hosted the nighttime version since its inception.

The current version of the series, which airs in nightly syndication, premiered on September 19, 1983. It features a competition in which contestants solve word puzzles, similar to those in hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a giant carnival wheel. The show has aired continuously since January 1975. Wheel of Fortune (often known simply as Wheel ) is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin.