Ryan Seacrest Replaces Pat Sajak As Wheel Of Fortune Host
Ryan Seacrest has officially been named Pat Sajak's replacement on Wheel of Fortune.
Earlier rumors indicated that Ryan Seacrest was in final talks to replace Pat Sajak as the host of Wheel of Fortune, and now it’s official. The Hollywood Reporter reported that Seacrest will be taking over after Sajak finishes out the 2023-24 season of the long-running game show.
Ravi Ahuja, chairman of global television studios at Sony Pictures, said in a statement, “We are ecstatic to have Ryan as the next host of Wheel of Fortune,” adding, “Ryan loves Wheel as much as we do and is the perfect person to continue the show’s four-decade success into the future.”
Before Ryan Seacrest officially takes over, Pat Sajak will finish out the upcoming 41st season of the show for one last victory lap. Sajak announced his retirement from Wheel of Fortune on June 12, and the speculation as to who would replace him began immediately. One rumored possibility was Vanna White, who has co-hosted the show with Sajak since the beginning.
Ryan Seacrest’s gig will begin with the 2024-25 season, with Vanna White staying on as co-host with a year remaining on her contract. It remains to be seen if White will join Pat Sajak in retirement from Wheel of Fortune after her contract is up.
Both Sajak and White have hosted the show since the very beginning, hosting the syndicated version that debuted in 1983 and a daytime version of the show that ran from 1981-1989.
Seacrest, best known for his hosting duties on American Idol and his radio show On Air with Ryan Seacrest, said in a statement, “I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak.”
With Seacrest’s extensive hosting resume, which also includes being the host of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve since 2005, he should be a natural fit for the Wheel of Fortune gig. The show continues to be immensely popular, averaging nine million daily viewers in the previous season, so it’s good that they should be able to continue production without a hitch.
Before Ryan Seacrest takes over, Pat Sajak and Vanna White will also be hosting the fourth season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune before Sajak retires. This version of the show sees celebrities playing for charity, and the fourth season is due to return in Fall. Presumably, Seacrest will also be taking on hosting duties for this version of the show.
While no celebrities have been announced yet for the new season, previous seasons have seen Snoop Dogg, Jack Black, Andy Richter, Tony Hawk, Nikki Glaser, Jole McHale, and many more taking a spin at the wheel.
Pat Sajak even hosted a special “host night” to cap off the third season as Vanna White and Jeopardy! co-hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik went head-to-head for charity. Maybe Ryan Seacrest can pull off a similar show and have the American Idol judges come on for a round of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.
While we wait for Ryan Seacrest to officially take the reins, make sure to watch out for Pat Sajak’s final season. Both Wheel of Fortune and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune are due to return this fall. Stay tuned for more news on this and other game shows.
