Jim Thornton leaves Wheel of Fortune after alleged chatroom incident and social media account goes silent
Former Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton was terminated following an alleged incident on a flight involving a chatroom, after which his Facebook account was deactivated and his name removed from the show's online platforms.
Jim Thornton, who had served as the announcer for Wheel of Fortune since 2011, was dismissed by Sony Pictures Television Studios on Friday after a fellow passenger reported that he appeared to be using an online chatroom linked to pedophilic content during a May flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles. The airline said law enforcement met the aircraft upon arrival, questioned Thornton for a brief period and released him without filing charges.
A Sony spokesperson confirmed the termination, stating that Thornton’s employment ended "effective immediately" and that the company was recasting the role while conducting a thorough investigation.
Thornton’s attorney, Allison Hart, asserted that her client did not engage in illegal conduct, was never arrested, and was released after law enforcement determined no wrongdoing. She explained that Thornton intended to visit a suicide-prevention chat site (988lifeline.org) but mistakenly accessed a different site, lifeline.chat, which she described as not containing illegal material.
Following the news of his firing, Thornton’s Facebook page went dark within hours, and the show’s official social-media channels removed references to him. Representatives for both Thornton and Wheel of Fortune did not respond to requests for comment.
Photos taken by a passenger on the flight, released by media outlets, showed Thornton using a laptop with a username that posted messages referencing children. The images also captured him appearing nervous after a flight attendant asked him to close his laptop. No criminal charges have been filed against Thornton, and he has not publicly addressed the termination.