Sony Pictures Television has fired Jim Thornton, the announcer on Wheel of Fortune. The studio said in a statement that his employment had ended “effective immediately” after what it called a thorough investigation. The firing came days after Sony suspended him and began recasting the role.

What led to the suspension

The trouble traces back to a flight in May. On September 1 a studio spokeswoman told Deadline that Sony had “recently been made aware of allegations” about Thornton, and that it was recasting while it investigated. TMZ first reported the story, saying a passenger had complained to a flight attendant about Thornton.

American Airlines confirmed part of it. A spokesperson told Deadline that law enforcement met Flight 1276 at Los Angeles International Airport on May 14, after a customer on board reported concerns. According to TMZ, as Variety relayed it, authorities questioned Thornton when the plane landed and then let him go.

What the allegations are

Hours before the firing, TMZ published photos said to show Thornton on the plane with his laptop open on what the outlet described as a “disturbing chat room”. Variety reported that the images appeared to show lewd conversations about minors.

Thornton has not spoken publicly. Allison Hart, an attorney who said she represented him, told TMZ that he had become active in suicide-prevention advocacy after a close family member died by suicide two years ago. She said he had spent time in chat rooms offering support to people with suicidal thoughts.

What happens to the show

Thornton will not be heard when Wheel of Fortune returns for its new season on September 14. Insiders told Variety that an interim announcer has re-recorded all of his parts. No permanent replacement has been named.

Who Thornton is

Thornton took over as announcer after the death of Charlie O’Donnell, according to Variety, which dates his arrival to 2010. Deadline gives 2011, and credits him with more than 2,200 episodes. He also voiced ABC’s Celebrity Wheel of Fortune from its launch in 2021.

Before the show, Los Angeles knew his voice from the radio. He joined KNX 1070 Newsradio in 1985 as a traffic reporter and rose to afternoon anchor. His voice work runs from The Price Is Right, where he filled in as announcer, to Celebrity Deathmatch and The Cleveland Show. Variety notes he has won an Edward R. Murrow award and an Emmy.