LOS ANGELES, Ca.— The West Virginia native who has been the announcer on Wheel of Fortune in recent years has been fired from the show. Jim Thornton was let go by Sony Pictures Television on Friday. The company released the following statement. “Following a thorough investigation, Jim Thornton’s employment with Wheel of Fortune has been terminated, effective immediately.”
Thornton, 61, is a native of Huntington and a graduate of Marshall and had been suspended in recent days over an incident aboard a flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles back in May. According to reporting in Los Angeles, a passenger said she could see Thornton’s laptop open during the flight and saw what she described as disturbing messages and images in a chatroom. She indicated it appeared to be discussions about children.
She alerted the flight crew and provided pictures of the screen. Thornton was detained and questioned by police at the airport in Los Angeles. However, he was not charged with any crime and was allowed to leave.
Thornton’s attorney strongly denied Thornton did anything wrong. She offered an explanation to TMZ claiming Thornton has been involved in a suicide prevention advocacy since losing a family member to suicide. He spends time on chat forums communicating with those who experience suicidal thoughts. The chatroom which was observed on the plane, according to his attorney, was a link mistakenly sent to him which was a forum of those with thoughts of pedophilia.
Thornton joined Wheel of Fortune in 2011 following the death of announcer Charlie O’Connell who had been with the show since 1975.
Thornton served as Grand Marshal of the Marshall Homecoming Parade in 2025 and spoke at the Marshall spring commencement earlier this year.