Wheel of Fortune Announcer Fired Over In-Flight Pedophilia Chatroom Scandal

Page Six reports that Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton was fired after an investigation into a May cross‑country flight during which he appeared to participate in a pedophilia-themed chatroom on Lifeline.chat. Photos circulated showing messages attributed to him; Thornton’s attorney says he was misdirected to a similar URL and committed no crime, while Sony Pictures Television Studios confirmed his firing and American Airlines noted law-enforcement involvement. No charges have been announced and representatives did not immediately comment.