Photos show Wheel Fortune announcer in alleged chatroom
Photos show Wheel Fortune announcer Jim Thornton looking at an alleged pedophilia chatroom for nearly an hour aboard an American Airlines flight, according to images published by TMZ. The 61-year-old was questioned by law enforcement and released without charges; his attorney says he clicked the site by mistake.
Key Takeaways
- TMZ photos reportedly show Thornton viewing an alleged pedophilia chatroom for nearly an hour on a May 14 American Airlines flight.
- A passenger alerted crew; officers met him at the gate, questioned him, and released him without arrest or charges.
- Attorney Allison Hart says he meant to open a suicide-prevention forum and left once he realized the site's nature.
- Sony has suspended Thornton from "Wheel of Fortune" and is recasting during an investigation; he is expected to be edited out of season 44.
What do the photos show Wheel Fortune's Jim Thornton doing?
According to Page Six, new photos published by TMZ on Thursday depict the suspended "Wheel of Fortune" announcer looking at a laptop while aboard an American Airlines flight.
A close-up of the screen shows messages Page Six described as disturbing, including references to children in sexualized language. Timestamps in the images suggest Thornton — wearing a "Wheel of Fortune" jacket — remained in the chatroom for almost an hour.
The passenger who notified a flight attendant told TMZ she allegedly saw images and texts suggesting he was in a chatroom for pedophiles, and she shared the photos with the crew.
Was Jim Thornton arrested after the plane incident?
Law enforcement officers were notified and met Thornton at the gate when the May 14 flight arrived. Officers questioned the TV personality, who was then released.
Thornton has not been arrested or charged in connection with the incident. Page Six reported it reached out to his attorney for comment on the newly published photos.
For more celebrity breaking news, follow ongoing coverage as networks and studios respond to high-profile allegations.
What does Jim Thornton's attorney say happened?
In a letter obtained by Page Six before TMZ released the photos, attorney Allison Hart claimed Thornton accidentally opened the wrong forum while seeking suicide-prevention support after losing a close family member to suicide two years earlier.
Hart said he has used 988lifeline.org and chat.988lifeline.org, and that an acquaintance misdirected him to lifeline.chat, which he believed offered similar mental health support. She alleged he did not know the site claims to offer support for people with pedophilic thoughts.
Once he understood the website's purpose, Hart said, he left and has not returned. She also stated the site itself is not unlawful, that it contained no unlawful child pornography, and that Thornton has never viewed, downloaded, or consumed child pornography — on that flight or at any other time.
"Law enforcement immediately confirmed that no crime had occurred and immediately told my client he was free to go," Hart claimed, adding that "my client did nothing wrong."
Why was Jim Thornton suspended from Wheel of Fortune?
On Tuesday, a Sony spokesperson told Page Six the company had been made aware of allegations concerning Thornton. He has been suspended from "Wheel of Fortune," and the studio is recasting while it conducts a thorough investigation.
Thornton will reportedly be edited out of the upcoming 44th season as producers scramble to replace him. The photos have intensified public scrutiny even as his legal team maintains the visit was accidental and that no crime occurred.