Pat Sajak's first post-'Wheel of Fortune' job is not what you'd expect

Pat Sajak may be leaving his longstanding "Wheel of Fortune" hosting gig, but the TV personality doesn't seem eager to slow down anytime soon.

After more than 40 years of hosting the game show, Sajak is taking on a project of a different pace: a starring role in a play called "Prescription: Murder."

Per the Hawaii Theatre Center, Sajak will appear alongside his “long-time buddy," Hawaii newscaster Joe Moore, in the onstage production. The theater describes the play as a "theatrical predecessor" to and “inspiration” for the TV series “Columbo.”

Sajak, 77, will play a "brilliant psychiatrist" who plots to murder his "neurotic and possessive wife" (played by Amy K. Sullivan) with the help of his mistress (played by Therese Olival). To achieve their goal, the pair will rely on a “bizarre impersonation to create a perfect alibi.”

Moore will play Lt. Columbo, who is “assigned to the case and engages the psychiatrist in a cat-and-mouse battle of wits right up till the play’s surprising climax.”

Moore's son Bryce will also star as the assistant district attorney, who is a personal friend of Sajak's character. Others involved in the production include Aiko Chinen and director Rob Duval.

Sajak's fans will have to wait a while to see him appear in “Prescription: Murder." The play will debut on July 31, 2025, and run through Aug. 10.

VIP tickets will provide guests a meet-and-greet and photo opportunity with the stars, along with an autographed playbill. Net proceeds will support the Hawaii Theatre Center.

“Prescription: Murder” is hardly Sajak's first foray into the world of theater. Per Variety, this will be the ninth play the TV host has starred in with Moore. The friends have performed in many of them at the Hawaii Theatre.

Sajak announced his departure from "Wheel of Fortune" in June 2023.

“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all," he wrote on X at the time.

The TV host's final episode will air on June 7. In a farewell message, he expressed his gratitude for the show's viewers.

“It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade. And I’ve always felt that the privilege came with a responsibility to keep this daily half-hour a safe place for family fun. No social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing, I hope. Just a game," he said in a preview clip shared by the show.

Sajak went on to describe how the show evolved over time.

“But gradually it became more than that, a place where kids learn their letters, where people from other countries honed their English skills, where families came together, along with friends and neighbors and entire generations,” he said.

The veteran TV personality ended his message by saying, “What an honor to have played even a small part in all that. Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com