Wheel of Fortune Announcer Jim Thornton Denies Allegations of Wrongdoing After His Suspension

Suspended Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton has denied allegations of wrongdoing.

The TV personality, 61, “did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime,” his attorney said in a statement to TMZ.

“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,” Thornton’s attorney continued.

PEOPLE reached out to Thornton’s representative for comment.


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Thornton was suspended from the long-running game show on Tuesday, Sept. 1, as Sony Pictures Television investigates allegations against him.

“He has been suspended from Wheel of Fortune and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation,” the studio said in a statement to PEOPLE. Sony did not specify the nature of the allegations.

The allegations stem from an alleged incident aboard a commercial flight in May, TMZ reported. According to the outlet, a passenger complained to a flight attendant about Thornton during the flight.

“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,” American Airlines said in a statement to PEOPLE.

The airline’s statement did not identify Thornton or provide further details about the nature of the alleged incident.

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Jim Thornton on January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty
Thornton became the Wheel of Fortune announcer in 2011, following the 2010 death of longtime announcer Charlie O’Donnell, who worked on the show from 1975 to 1980 and from 1989 until his death.

Thornton has worked as an announcer on shows including The Price Is Right and The Soup, and provided voiceover work for The Cleveland Show and Monsters, Inc.