Suspended 'Wheel of Fortune' Announcer Jim Thornton Allegedly Caught Browsing 'Pedophilia' Chatroom on Plane by Fellow Passenger
Veteran announcer Jim Thornton was suspended from the 'Wheel of Fortune' after being caught browsing chatroom linked with pedophilia on a fllght.
Sept. 4 2026, Published 8:27 a.m. ET
Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton was suspended after being captured browsing a chatroom linked to pedophilia during a flight.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the 61-year-old was seen in pictures obtained by TMZ on a lifeline.chat, a chat room for people with pedophilic thoughts.
Website Is 'Not Unlawful'
Thornton's lawyer has defended the 'Wheel of Fortune' star.
However, Thornton's attorney told the outlet the announcer meant to visit a suicide prevention website named 988lifeline.org.
Thornton's lawyer Allison Hart said in a statement the announcer had "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."
The lawyer clarified that the chat room website lifeline.chat is "not unlawful, there is no unlawful child p---ography or other pedophilic content, and my client never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child p---ography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time."
'My Client Was Never Arrested Or Charged With A Crime'
Thornton visited the chat room for at least 57 minutes.
Hart further stressed: "It is for that reason that my client was never arrested or charged with a crime. Law enforcement immediately confirmed that no crime had occurred and immediately told my client he was free to go. In short, my client did nothing wrong."
The plane incident led to police meeting the announcer at the gate, but he was not arrested or charged with any crime.
Timestamps from the images indicate that the announcer visited the chat room for at least 57 minutes, but Thornton says he left the chat room once he realized what it was.
Seedy Messages
Photos showed messages on chat room Thornton was browsing.
Pictures show Thorton’s laptop open on his tray table on the site which features messages discussing "a couple of cute boys and a hot little girl" as well as "CP," which the passenger — who reported the incident — believes stood for child p---ography.
Other messages in the chat room read, "saunters to the bathroom for a quick w--k on the 737" and "does it count as the mile high club if its a h---job?" per the photos. It's unclear if Thornton was the one who sent any of the messages.
American Airlines said statement that Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on May 14 "following concerns reported by a customer onboard," but did not share additional details.
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The announcer has recently been scrubbed from upcoming episodes.
RadarOnline.com recently told how Thornton has been scrubbed from upcoming Wheel of Fortune episodes following his suspension.
the show veteran, 61, reportedly recorded a month’s worth of episodes which have yet to air, but will now be edited out when the popular series returns for a new season on September 14.
Sony have confirmed his role will be recast while they continue his investigation.
Thornton first appeared on the game show in 2011 and has featured in 2,200 episodes.
