{"id":8111,"date":"2026-09-04T22:36:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T22:36:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=8111"},"modified":"2026-09-04T22:36:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T22:36:43","slug":"wheel-of-fortune-announcer-jim-thornton-fired-after-in-flight-pedophilia-chatroom-incident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=8111","title":{"rendered":"‘Wheel of Fortune’ announcer Jim Thornton fired after in-flight pedophilia chatroom incident"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Suspended \u201cWheel of Fortune\u201d announcer Jim Thornton has been fired following an in-flight pedophilia chatroom incident.<\/p>\n

Read more Lindsay Clancy supporters interrupt DA\u2019s post-trial press conference, chanting he\u2019s \u2018corrupt\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing a thorough investigation, Jim Thornton\u2019s employment with \u2018Wheel of Fortune\u2019 has been terminated, effective immediately,\u201d a Sony Pictures Television Studios spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Page Six.<\/p>\n

News broke on Sept. 1 that Thornton had been suspended from his longstanding position.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton,\u201d a rep for Sony Pictures Television Studios told Page Six at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has been suspended from \u2018Wheel of Fortune,\u2019 and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Sony did not elaborate on the nature of the allegations, it was later reported that the suspension stemmed from an incident that arose while Thornton was traveling aboard an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Los Angeles on May 14.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn May 14, American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport following concerns reported by a customer onboard,\u201d a rep for the airline told Page Six at the time.<\/p>\n

Later that night, Thornton\u2019s attorney, Allison Hart, said in a statement, that her client \u201cdid not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested and has not been charged with any crime.\u201d<\/p>\n

She explained, \u201cWhen questioned about the complaint made by a fellow passenger on the flight, law enforcement spoke to [Thornton] for five minutes or less, immediately determined that no wrongdoing had occurred and told my client he was free to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

The following day, TMZ reported that Sony was scrambling to cut Thornton from the forthcoming new season of the beloved game show, set to premiere Sept. 14.<\/p>\n

Per the outlet, producers began re-editing those episodes with a new announcer, an effort one source called a \u201cmajor undertaking.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Sept. 3, Hart elaborated on the details of the plane incident, exclusively telling Page Six that her client \u201chas become active in suicide-prevention advocacy since losing a close family member to suicide two years ago, and he has spent time visiting chat rooms offering support to individuals suffering from suicidal ideation.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Hart, Thornton has visited 988lifeline.org and its chat forum, chat.988lifeline.org, in the past, noting that they \u201coffer real-time support for individuals struggling with mental health issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Lindsay Clancy\u2019s ex-husband Patrick says possibility of \u2018reliving tragedy\u2019 through another trial is \u2018extraordinary painful\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Hart claimed Thornton had been \u201cmisdirected to a forum with a similar url, the forum
lifeline.chat,\u201d by an \u201cacquaintance in the suicide prevention space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thornton allegedly \u201cunderstood\u201d that the forum offered suicide prevention support similar to 988lifeline.org and chat.988lifeline.org and \u201cdid not know that the website lifeline.chat claims to offer mental health support to individuals with pedophilic thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Thornton realized what the website was about, he allegedly \u201cleft the page and has not visited since.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hart insisted that the website lifeline.chat itself \u201cis not unlawful, there is no unlawful child pornography or other pedophilic content,\u201d adding that her client \u201chas never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child pornography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hart made sure to stress that Thornton \u201cwas never arrested or charged with a crime,\u201d claiming law enforcement \u201cimmediately confirmed that no crime had occurred\u201d and told her client he was \u201cfree to
go.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was adamant that he \u201cdid nothing wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hours after we obtained her statement, however, TMZ published photos taken by the passenger who was sitting next to Thornton on the flight.<\/p>\n

In two of the pics, messages \u2014 presumably from Thornton (clad in a \u201cWheel of Fortune\u201d jacket) \u2014 were written in the chat bar. These messages were later sent to the chatroom by username \u201cNicholasB77,\u201d per additional pictures.<\/p>\n

During the dialogue, user \u201cNicholasB77\u201d made a comment about how Golden Corral is a \u201cnice hangout for kids\u201d and that they saw \u201ca couple of cute boys and a hot little girl\u201d while dining there the day before.<\/p>\n

The user added in their next message, \u201cAll-you-can-eat Boyffet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

According to displayed timestamps, the chatroom conversation spanned for close to an hour.<\/p>\n

The passenger who notified a flight attendant about Thornton told the outlet she allegedly saw images and texts suggesting he was in a chatroom for pedophiles, prompting her to share the photos with the crew.<\/p>\n

Law enforcement officers were notified about the incident and met Thornton at the gate upon his arrival. Officers questioned the TV personality, who was then released.<\/p>\n

To date, Thornton has not been arrested or charged in connection with the incident.<\/p>\n

Read more Trump delivers brutally honest verdict on Lindsay Clancy moments after mistrial declared<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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