Jim Thornton, the announcer for Wheel of Fortune, is being edited out of upcoming episodes of the show as Sony Pictures Television Studios conducts an investigation. The studio confirmed Thornton's suspension and the recasting process in a statement to the Daily Mail.
According to TMZ, producers are undertaking a significant effort to remove Thornton's cues from a month's worth of already-taped episodes for the new season, which is set to premiere on September 14. It remains unclear if this change will be permanent or if Thornton could return to the series after the investigation concludes.
The investigation reportedly stems from an incident on a commercial American Airlines flight on May 14. A fellow passenger allegedly complained about Thornton to a flight attendant, leading the plane's pilot to arrange for law enforcement to be present upon landing at Los Angeles International Airport. American Airlines confirmed that law enforcement met the flight due to concerns reported by a customer onboard.
Thornton's attorney stated that his client "did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime." The attorney added that law enforcement questioned Thornton for less than five minutes, determined no wrongdoing occurred, and released him.
Thornton, who has been the announcer for Wheel of Fortune since 2011, replacing Charlie O'Donnell, appeared in a pre-taped episode on Tuesday amid his suspension. He has also filled in for host Pat Sajak and previously served as an announcer for The Price Is Right. Beyond his game show work, Thornton has lent his voice to animated films like Monsters, Inc. and Wall-E, and was a voice actor on MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch.