Chuck Woolery, ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Love Connection’ Host, Dead at 83

Chuck Woolery, who was the original host of Wheel of Fortune and had an 11-year run hosting the popular dating show Love Connection, has died. He was 83.

Mark Young, Woolery’s friend who cohosted the “Blunt Force Truth” podcast with him, said in an email to AP on Sunday, November 24, that Woolery died at his Texas home. His wife, Kristen, was with him.

“Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young told the outlet. He additionally posted on X, “It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away. Life will not be the same without him. RIP brother,” along with several photos of himself and Woolery together.

Per a report from TMZ, Young said he was at Woolery’s Texas house when Woolery said he didn’t feel well, and went to lie down. A short while later, he came back and complained of having trouble breathing. Young said 911 was called, but that Woolery didn’t make it.

A Kentucky native who served in the U.S. Navy, Woolery originally had his eye set on being a musician: He formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant Garde in 1967, which put out a Top 40 hit, “Naturally Stoned.” When the duo broke up, he then put out several solo singles and moved into country music, where he wrote songs for not only himself but also such stars as Tammy Wynette.

Woolery was the original host of Wheel of Fortune, where he began his TV career in 1975 and remained for several years before a salary dispute caused him to be replaced by Pat Sajak. In 1983, he became the host of what would be known as his signature show, Love Connection, a hit dating show which paired a single man or woman with three potential suitors, who then would relate the details of their dates to an audience.

In 1984, he simultaneously hosted Scrabble. In 1991, he helmed a short-lived talk show, The Chuck Woolery Show. Upon the end of Love Connection in 1994, hosted a revival of The Dating Game. He later hosted Greed and Lingo and made appearances in other shows, including playing himself in two episodes of Melrose Place.

Woolery was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.