Longtime Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton breaks silence on allegations

Wheel of Fortune announcer forced to address claim cops quizzed him for spending hour in p–a chatroom on a plane.

Longtime Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton breaks silence on suspension – & viewers will see change within days

NEW photos have emerged showing suspended Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton viewing an alleged p–a-related chatroom while aboard an American Airlines flight.

Thornton, 61, was suspended from the long-running game show this week after Sony said it had become aware of allegations involving the longtime announcer.
Jim Thornton’s career is in the balance following the recent revelationsCredit: Getty
Sony are investigating claims Thornton was seen using a p–a-related chatroom on an American Airlines flightCredit: Getty
The studio said it is temporarily recasting his role while conducting an investigation.

But according to photos published by TMZ on Thursday, Thornton, 61, was seen using a laptop during the May 14 flight.

A close-up of the screen appeared to show disturbing messages, including references to children.

One message reportedly read, “A nice hangout for kids. Saw a couple of cute boys and a hot little girl,” while another said, “All-you-can-eat Boyffet.”

Based on the timestamps visible in the photos, Thornton appeared to remain on the site for nearly an hour.

He was reportedly wearing a Wheel of Fortune jacket at the time.

The incident came to the attention of authorities after another passenger alerted a flight attendant.

The passenger reportedly told TMZ that she had seen images and messages that appeared to indicate Thornton was participating in a chatroom associated with people who have p–c interests.

Law enforcement officers were notified and met Thornton at the gate after the plane landed. He was questioned and subsequently released.

Thornton has not been arrested or charged with a crime in connection with the incident.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to his attorney, Allison Hart, but is yet to hear back.

But in a letter obtained by Page Six before the photos were published, Hart said Thornton accidentally accessed the site while attempting to reach an online support forum for people experiencing sui–l thoughts.

According to Hart, Thornton had previously used 988 Lifeline’s online resources after losing a close family member to suicide.

She said he was directed by an acquaintance to a website with a similar name and mistakenly believed it provided comparable suicide-prevention services.

Hart claimed Thornton did not realize the nature of the site until after accessing it.

Once he understood what it was, she said, he immediately left and has not returned.

The attorney also stated that Thornton has never viewed, downloaded or otherwise accessed child pornography, either during the flight or at any other time.

She emphasized that law enforcement determined no crime had occurred and allowed Thornton to leave.

Sony has since confirmed that Thornton was suspended from Wheel of Fortune.

A company spokesperson said they were aware of allegations involving Thornton and that the show was recasting his role while an investigation was conducted.

Thornton is reportedly being edited out of upcoming episodes of the show’s 44th season as producers work to replace him.

Through his attorney, Thornton strongly denied any illegal conduct and said he was never arrested or charged.

His lawyer told TMZ that officers questioned Thornton after another passenger reportedly raised a complaint during the flight.

The questioning reportedly lasted five minutes or less before authorities determined that no wrongdoing had occurred and told Thornton he was free to leave.

“When questioned about the complaint made by a fellow passenger on the flight, law enforcement spoke to him for five minutes or less, immediately determined that no wrongdoing had occurred and told my client he was free to go,” the attorney said.

Sony confirmed Thornton’s suspension on Tuesday but has not publicly detailed the allegations against him.

“We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton,” the studio said in a statement. “He has been suspended from Wheel of Fortune and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation.”

According to TMZ, the allegations reportedly involve an American Airlines flight in May.

A fellow passenger allegedly contacted a flight attendant about Thornton while the plane was in the air, after which the pilot reportedly alerted authorities.

American Airlines confirmed that Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on May 14.

“On May 14, American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) following concerns reported by a customer onboard,” the airline told People.

The airline did not identify Thornton or provide additional details about the reported incident.

Thornton was questioned by officers after the flight landed and was subsequently allowed to leave. Neither Sony nor American Airlines has said that he was arrested or charged.

The U.S. Sun has contacted LAX PD for further clarification.

The suspension represents a major disruption to Thornton’s lengthy tenure as one of the most recognizable voices associated with the franchise.

He became the show’s permanent announcer in 2011, following the death of longtime announcer Charlie O’Donnell the previous year.

He had previously served as a guest announcer during Season 28 before taking over the position full-time.

He remained with the program through several major changes, including Pat Sajak’s retirement and Ryan Seacrest’s arrival as host alongside Vanna White. Thornton also served as the announcer for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.

Outside of Wheel of Fortune, Thornton has worked in television and voice acting, with credits including Monsters, Inc., The Cleveland Show and Celebrity Deathmatch.

Although Thornton has generally remained behind the microphone, he made a memorable on-camera appearance in 2023 when a contestant revealed that she was a major fan of his.

During the episode, Sajak temporarily swapped positions with Thornton for the bonus round, allowing the announcer to take a turn at the famous Wheel of Fortune wheel while Sajak handled announcing duties.

Thornton’s replacement will reportedly fill in while the studio reviews the matter.