Jim Thornton, the longtime announcer for Wheel of Fortune, has been suspended by Sony Pictures Television as the studio investigates allegations involving the veteran broadcaster.

Sony confirmed the suspension Tuesday, saying it had “recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton.” The studio said Thornton has been suspended from Wheel of Fortune and that producers are recasting his position while conducting a “thorough investigation.” Sony has not disclosed the nature of the allegations or provided a timeline for its review.

According to reports, the investigation stems from an incident aboard American Airlines Flight 1276 on May 14. A fellow passenger reportedly raised concerns about Thornton during the flight, leading the pilot to arrange for law enforcement to meet the aircraft after it landed at Los Angeles International Airport.

American Airlines confirmed that the flight was met by law enforcement following concerns reported by a passenger but did not identify Thornton or provide details about the complaint.

Thornton’s attorney has strongly denied that his client engaged in illegal conduct. The attorney said Thornton was questioned by authorities for less than five minutes, was not arrested or charged with a crime, and was allowed to leave after officers determined that no wrongdoing had occurred.

Thornton joined Wheel of Fortune as a guest announcer in 2010 and became the show's regular announcer in 2011 following the death of longtime announcer Charlie O’Donnell. He has also announced Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and has worked on programs including The Price Is Right, Celebrity Deathmatch and The Cleveland Show.

The suspension comes as the show's 44th season begins production. Because episodes are recorded in advance, Thornton's voice was still heard on a pre-taped episode that aired Tuesday. Producers are now moving to recast his role as Sony's investigation continues.