'Wheel of Fortune' Scrubbing Jim Thornton From Edited Episodes for New Season

Jim Thornton is being cut out of the new season of "Wheel of Fortune" amid Sony Pictures Television Studios' investigation into its longtime announcer ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the first month of the new season, which premieres September 14, has already been taped and is in the can, as they say in Hollywood. We're told producers are now re-editing those episodes with a new announcer ... an effort one source called a "major undertaking."

As we first reported ... Sony suspended Thornton after learning about allegations stemming from a May commercial flight.

The studio told TMZ, "We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton. He has been suspended from Wheel of Fortune, and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation."

Sources with direct knowledge told us a passenger complained about Thornton to a flight attendant, prompting the pilot to request that law enforcement meet him at the gate.

Law enforcement questioned Thornton, who was wearing a “Wheel of Fortune” jacket, but ultimately released him.

Regarding the airline incident, Thornton's attorney told us ... the announcer "did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime."