Sony Pictures Suspends 'Wheel of Fortune' Announcer Jim Thornton Amid Investigation

Sony Pictures Television Studios announced on Tuesday that Jim Thornton, who has been the voice of "Wheel of Fortune" since 2010, has been suspended from the program while the studio conducts a thorough investigation into allegations against him. The company said it is recasting the announcer role during the probe and did not provide further details about the nature of the claims.

The suspension follows reports that the allegations stem from an incident on an American Airlines flight in May. American Airlines confirmed that law enforcement met Flight 1276 at Los Angeles International Airport after a passenger reported concerns, but the airline did not name Thornton.

Thornton, 66, has announced nearly 3,000 episodes of the game show and also serves as the announcer for its celebrity spin-off. He has previously performed voice work on several animated series and films.

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

Attempts to obtain comment from Thornton were not answered.