'Wheel of Fortune' Announcer Jim Thornton Suspended
Listen to the story
Jim Thornton, the announcer for the game show 'Wheel of Fortune,' has been suspended from his job.
Sony, the company behind the show, is now investigating allegations made against him.
The exact details of the allegations have not been made public.
Sony has said that Thornton's position on the show will be recast, meaning another person will take over his role.
It is not yet known how long the investigation will take or whether Thornton will return to the show afterward.
'Wheel of Fortune' is a long-running American game show. Thornton has been its announcer, the person who introduces the show and describes prizes.
For now, viewers will notice a change, since a new voice will take Thornton's place on the program.
Sony has not released a full statement explaining the reasons behind the suspension.
This kind of situation, where a TV personality is removed while a company looks into claims against them, has become more common in the entertainment industry.
More information may be shared once Sony completes its review of the allegations.
Vocabulary10 words
- announcer
- a person who speaks on a TV or radio show, often introducing parts of it
- suspended
- temporarily stopped from doing a job
- allegations
- claims that someone did something wrong, not yet proven true
- recast
- to replace someone in a role with a different person
- investigation
- a careful process of checking facts about a situation
- statement
- an official message given to the public
- personality
- a well-known person, often on TV
- game show
- a TV program where people compete for prizes
- long-running
- continuing for a very long time
- review
- a careful examination of something
Quiz
Answer key
1. Sony is investigating allegations against him 2. It will be recast with someone else 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Jim Thornton, the _____ for the game show 'Wheel of Fortune,' has been _____ from his job.
Sony, the company behind the show, is now investigating _____ made against him.
The exact details of the allegations have not been made public.
Sony has said that Thornton's position on the show will be _____, meaning another person will take over his role.
It is not yet known how long the _____ will take or whether Thornton will return to the show afterward.
'Wheel of Fortune' is a _____ American game show. Thornton has been its announcer, the person who introduces the show and describes prizes.
For now, viewers will notice a change, since a new voice will take Thornton's place on the program.
Sony has not released a full _____ explaining the reasons behind the suspension.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think companies suspend employees while investigating allegations, rather than waiting until the investigation is finished?
- How important do you think an announcer's voice is to the identity of a long-running TV show?
- Do you think the public has a right to know the details of allegations against public figures? Why or why not?
- How might this situation affect fans of 'Wheel of Fortune'?
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