2026 firing and aftermath← Previous revisionRevision as of 12:05, 26 October 2026 Line 34: Line 34: ===2026 firing and aftermath=== ===2026 firing and aftermath=== In May 2026, a female passenger on a flight with Thornton alleged that "...she could see Thornton's laptop during the flight and described what she saw as disturbing messages and images in a [[Pedophilia|pedophile]] chatroom that appeared to involve discussions about children."{{Cite news |last=DuBose |first=Josh |date=September 3, 2026 |title=New details emerge in suspension of 'Wheel of Fortune' announcer |url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/jim-thornton-flight-incident-investigation/ |work=KTLA.com}} The crew alerted authorities after being provided evidence. Law enforcement officers questioned Thornton after the flight, after which he was permitted to leave the airport. Sony announced an investigation into Thornton, as well as Thornton's suspension from ''Wheel'', on September 1, 2026. Sony also announced it would "recast" his role.{{cite web | last=Robinson | first=KiMi | title='Wheel of Fortune' announcer Jim Thornton is suspended | publisher=USA TODAY | date=September 1, 2026 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2026/09/01/wheel-of-fortune-announcer-jim-thornton-suspended/91569680007/ | access-date=September 1, 2026}}{{cite web |last1=Weprin |first1=Alex |title='Wheel of Fortune' Announcer Suspended Amid Investigation |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/wheel-of-fortune-announcer-suspended-investigation-1236687382/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=September 1, 2026 |date=September 1, 2026}} In May 2026, a female passenger on a flight with Thornton alleged that "...she could see Thornton's laptop during the flight and described what she saw as disturbing messages and images in a [[Pedophilia|pedophile]] chatroom that appeared to involve discussions about children."{{Cite news |last=DuBose |first=Josh |date=September 3, 2026 |title=New details emerge in suspension of 'Wheel of Fortune' announcer |url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/jim-thornton-flight-incident-investigation/ |work=[[KTLA]]}} The crew alerted authorities after being provided evidence. Law enforcement officers questioned Thornton after the flight, after which he was permitted to leave the airport. Sony announced an investigation into Thornton, as well as Thornton's suspension from ''Wheel'', on September 1, 2026. Sony also announced it would "recast" his role.{{cite web | last=Robinson | first=KiMi | title='Wheel of Fortune' announcer Jim Thornton is suspended | publisher=USA TODAY | date=September 1, 2026 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2026/09/01/wheel-of-fortune-announcer-jim-thornton-suspended/91569680007/ | access-date=September 1, 2026}}{{cite web |last1=Weprin |first1=Alex |title='Wheel of Fortune' Announcer Suspended Amid Investigation |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/wheel-of-fortune-announcer-suspended-investigation-1236687382/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=September 1, 2026 |date=September 1, 2026}} On September 3, 2026, [[TMZ]] released pictures of Thornton viewing a chat forum using the anonymous browser [[Tor (network)|Tor]] with some exchanges referencing sexual content, including a mention of minors, and a link to an [[Instagram]] post highlighting the arrest of a man in London for viewing [[Child Sexual Abuse Material|indecent images of children]] on his phone while on [[public transport]]ation.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=T. M. Z. |date=September 3, 2026 |title='Wheel of Fortune's' Jim Thornton: See Pedophilia Chatroom Photos Behind Suspension |url=https://www.tmz.com/2026/09/03/jim-thornton-chatroom-messages-that-led-to-airport-detainment/ |access-date=September 4, 2026 |website=TMZ |language=en}} Thornton's lawyer, Allison Hart, released a statement denouncing TMZ's report, stating Thornton "...did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime ... 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." Hart claimed Thornton was trying to access resources for people experiencing suicidal thoughts, and had been sent a link to the wrong chatroom,{{Cite web |last=DuBose |first=Josh |title=New details emerge in suspension of 'Wheel of Fortune' announcer |url=https://ktla.com/news/local-news/jim-thornton-flight-incident-investigation/ |publisher=[[KTLA]]}} went on to say that the website in question is "not unlawful, there is no unlawful child pornography or other pedophilic content, and [Thornton] has never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child pornography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time."{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=KiMi |title=New details emerge in 'Wheel of Fortune' announcer suspension |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2026/09/03/wheel-of-fortune-jim-thornton-suspension-new-details/91601646007/ |access-date=September 4, 2026 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tolentino |first=Daysia |title=''Wheel of Fortune'' announcer Jim Thornton's lawyer shares new details of plane incident amid suspension |url=https://ew.com/wheel-of-fortune-announcer-jim-thornton-lawyer-details-plance-incident-12077118 |access-date=September 13, 2026 |website=Entertainment Weekly |language=en-US}} On September 3, 2026, [[TMZ]] released pictures of Thornton viewing a chat forum using the anonymous browser [[Tor (network)|Tor]] with some exchanges referencing sexual content, including a mention of minors, and a link to an [[Instagram]] post highlighting the arrest of a man in London for viewing [[Child Sexual Abuse Material|indecent images of children]] on his phone while on [[public transport]]ation.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=T. M. Z. |date=September 3, 2026 |title='Wheel of Fortune's' Jim Thornton: See Pedophilia Chatroom Photos Behind Suspension |url=https://www.tmz.com/2026/09/03/jim-thornton-chatroom-messages-that-led-to-airport-detainment/ |access-date=September 4, 2026 |website=TMZ |language=en}} Thornton's lawyer, Allison Hart, released a statement denouncing TMZ's report, stating Thornton "...did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime ... 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." Hart claimed Thornton was trying to access resources for people experiencing suicidal thoughts, and had been sent a link to the wrong chatroom, went on to say that the website in question is "not unlawful, there is no unlawful child pornography or other pedophilic content, and [Thornton] has never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child pornography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time."{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=KiMi |title=New details emerge in 'Wheel of Fortune' announcer suspension |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2026/09/03/wheel-of-fortune-jim-thornton-suspension-new-details/91601646007/ |access-date=September 4, 2026 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tolentino |first=Daysia |title=''Wheel of Fortune'' announcer Jim Thornton's lawyer shares new details of plane incident amid suspension |url=https://ew.com/wheel-of-fortune-announcer-jim-thornton-lawyer-details-plance-incident-12077118 |access-date=September 13, 2026 |website=Entertainment Weekly |language=en-US}} Thornton was officially fired from ''Wheel of Fortune'' the next day. His parts in the then-upcoming 44th season, which had already begun taping, were re-recorded by an interim announcer; as of his firing, no new announcer had been chosen.{{Cite web |last=Weller |first=Sophie |title='Wheel of Fortune' Announcer Jim Thornton Suspended By Sony Pictures Television Studios |url=https://parade.com/news/wheel-of-fortune-announcer-jim-thornton-suspended-by-sony-pictures-television-studios |access-date=September 13, 2026 |website=Parade |language=en-US}} Brittany Sims of ''TV Insider'' commented on edits that appeared to remove Thornton from a September 2026 episode, additionally stating that the interim announcer was "believed to be" Marc Elmer.{{cite web | url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/wheel-fortune-fans-notice-editing-163031788.html | title=‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Notice Editing Error After Jim Thornton’s Firing | publisher=Yahoo! Entertainment | date=October 7, 2026 | accessdate=October 8, 2026 | author=Brittany Sims}} Thornton was officially fired from ''Wheel of Fortune'' the next day. His parts in the then-upcoming 44th season, which had already begun taping, were re-recorded by an interim announcer; as of his firing, no new announcer had been chosen.{{Cite web |last=Weller |first=Sophie |title='Wheel of Fortune' Announcer Jim Thornton Suspended By Sony Pictures Television Studios |url=https://parade.com/news/wheel-of-fortune-announcer-jim-thornton-suspended-by-sony-pictures-television-studios |access-date=September 13, 2026 |website=Parade |language=en-US}} Brittany Sims of ''TV Insider'' commented on edits that appeared to remove Thornton from a September 2026 episode, additionally stating that the interim announcer was "believed to be" Marc Elmer.{{cite web | url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/wheel-fortune-fans-notice-editing-163031788.html | title=‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Notice Editing Error After Jim Thornton’s Firing | publisher=Yahoo! Entertainment | date=October 7, 2026 | accessdate=October 8, 2026 | author=Brittany Sims}}