Pat Sajak wishes fond farewell to Wheel Of Fortune as his emotional FINAL EPISODE airs... 43 years after he first joined the game show

Pat Sajak wished a fond farewell to Wheel Of Fortune on his final episode of the program, which was broadcast Friday night.

The 77-year-old first began hosting the the iconic game show in 1981, taking over from outgoing compere Chuck Woolery.

Now Pat is retiring and his position will be filled by Ryan Seacrest, who will run the show alongside Pat's longtime co-host Vanna White.

In an emotional video released Thursday night, Vanna was reduced to tears as she said: 'I can't believe that tomorrow is our last show together.'

When the final episode came at last on Friday evening, the devoted Wheel Of Fortune fans were treated to Pat's heartwarming last hurrah.

In a tear-jerking touch, the episode began with a flashback clip to Pat's entrance on his first-ever episode of Wheel Of Fortune.

After being announced by name, Pat bounded onstage and joked to the viewers: ‘Please do not adjust your sets at home. Chuck Woolery has not shrunk.'

The show then cut to the new footage, as Pat's final episode at the helm of the game show kicked off in earnest.

Pat and Vanna walked onstage arm in arm, he in his trademark suit and tie and her in a full-length scarlet sequined gown that emphasized her still enviably willowy frame. 

As they arrived in front of the cameras, the audience burst into rapturous cheers and applause, and Pat joked to Vanna that the two of them were now 'all grown up.'

Without further ado, Pat soldiered ahead with the game, sprinkling in his typical cheeky repartee with contestants Tammi, Nino and Adrienne.

Adrienne shared that she is fond of singing but confessed her family takes a dim view of her talents, to which Pat quipped: 'Maybe we'll just take their word for it.'

In the midst of the game, he briefly paused and said: 'I think most people know this is my last evening on the show and at the end of the show I have a few things I’d like to say. So we need to save a little time. How do we do that? So we’re gonna cut out a round, which kinda robs you people.'

To make up for the deficit, Pat decided to take the rare step of spinning the wheel himself, promising that whatever number he landed on, he would add $1,000 and give that amount to each of the three competitors.

Ultimately, he decided: 'You know what? It’s not my money. Let’s give them all $5,000,' adding drily: 'Little Jimmy’s surgery can wait.’

Pat was then treated to a testimonial by Jim Thornton, who has been the announcer on Wheel Of Fortune for 13 years and thanked Pat for 'keeping me on my toes!'

The show then barreled back into the game, including the usual advertisements to giveaway trips to such exotic locales as Barbados and Lapland. 

A few hours before his last episode aired, Pat delivered a touching video speech in which he expressed his gratitude for how 'privileged' he was to host the show.

'Well, the time has come to say goodbye. I have a few thanks and acknowledgments before I go, and I want to start with all of you watching out there,' he said.

'It's been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade,' he continued. 

'I have always felt that the privilege came with the 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.' 

Vanna, who joined the show just one year after Pat did, was filled with emotion during the farewell video she released Thursday night.

'I don't know how to put into words what these past 41 years have meant to me, but I'm going to try,' said the television icon.

'As the years have gone by, we've grown up on television, but we've also shared so much more behind the scenes,' she revealed.

'And as much fun as we had on camera, those memories, milestones and life events we shared with our families outside the studio are my favorite.'