Ryan Seacrest Making Major Changes To Wheel Of Fortune?
People reports that Pat Sajak will host one more season of Wheel of Fortune before handing hosting duties over to Ryan Seacrest. But for those of you concerned over any possible changes being made to the show, it sounds like the American Idol host will not mess with the formula. Seacrest did not mince his words when he said, “you don’t mess with it, just don’t mess with it. Just get out of the way, say ‘Good evening’ and let’s play.”
Incoming host Ryan Seacrest says he doesn’t intend to make any big changes to Wheel of Fortune when he takes over the long running game show.
Though Pat Sajak is removing himself from the tried-and-true formula, Ryan Seacrest will host the iconic long-running game show alongside Vanna White, who has been a constant presence on Wheel of Fortune since 1982.
While talking about his work with the show, Ryan Seacrest said he has the utmost respect for Wheel of Fortune, because like many of us, he grew up watching the show.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect for Ryan Seacrest to helm Wheel of Fortune. He was offered the job just a couple of weeks after departing from Live with Kelly and Ryan, which he hosted for six years.
“You don’t mess with it, just don’t mess with it. Just get out of the way, say ‘Good evening’ and let’s play.”
-Ryan Seacrest, on his intentions to not change Wheel of Fortune
Not only is the timing perfect, Ryan Seacrest seems like the right guy for the job. The combination of his admiration of the show’s legacy, and his extensive background in hosting and producing, we have no doubt that the transition from the Sajak era to the Seacrest era will be relatively seamless.
Though we’re saddened by Pat Sajak‘s upcoming departure from the network series, can’t really blame the 76-year-old for wanting to dip out and enjoy his retirement. With Seacrest stating that he’s not going to mess with what made the show so successful for so many decades, it’s safe to say that though the host’s face will change, the game play will remain the same.
Wheel Of Fortune Through The Years
Wheel of Fortune saw its debut in 1975, and quickly became a fan favorite. Though Pat Sajak is the host that we all immediately recall when thinking about Wheel of Fortune, the show was hosted by Chuck Woolery for its first six years. Sajak left the network version of the show in 1989 to host his own late-night talk show, while still hosting the nighttime version of Wheel of Fortune, but was replaced by Rolf Benirschke during the daytime show during this era.
Being that Wheel of Fortune ranks as the longest-running syndicated game show in the US, it was only a matter of time before Sajak would be replaced by someone like Ryan Seacrest. If the show remains popular, we can reasonably assume that this new era will be continue beam into our living rooms for years to come.
It will be interesting to see a Ryan Seacrest hosted version Wheel of Fortune, but we’re here for it. ABC is making the right move by finding a charismatic host who can live up to the show’s legacy as Sajak gears up for his well-deserved retirement. And honestly, we couldn’t imagine a world where you couldn’t buy a vowel for a nominal fee, and for that, we’re truly grateful.
