“No wrongdoing had occurred”: Jim Thornton’s attorney denies allegations after Sony suspended the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ announcer

News host-turned-TV/radio announcer Jim Thornton, who was best known for being the announcer of the popular game show Wheel of Fortune since 2010, was suspended from the game show by Sony on September 1, 2026, following a reported illegal incident that took place on a flight in May 2026.

As cited by Variety, according to TMZ, a flight passenger reportedly complained to a flight attendant about Jim Thornton, 61, after which the pilot had to inform law enforcement, who met the news anchor at the airport gate upon arrival.

Following the reported flight incident that led to Jim Thornton's suspension from Wheel of Fortune, the game show announcer has made it clear that the accusations made against him are untrue and that he has not done anything wrong or illegal. According to People, Thornton's lawyer denies the reported allegations against Jim and has released a statement, which reads:

Jim Thornton "did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime."

The statement continued:

"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."

According to People, while Jim Thornton remains suspended from Wheel of Fortune, Sony has revealed in a statement that an investigation has been launched into the matter. The statement shared by Sony Pictures TV read:

"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."

American Airlines releases a statement amid Jim Thornton's suspension from Wheel of Fortune

After Jim Thornton faced allegations of illegal conduct while traveling on a flight in May 2026, which led to his temporary removal from the game show Wheel of Fortune, American Airlines has released a statement regarding the matter, which reads:

"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."

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As per People, the statement shared by American Airlines did not specifically mention Thornton, nor did it provide details about what exactly happened on the flight. As an investigation is currently underway, Sony is looking for a new announcer to replace Jim Thornton.

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