Ryan Seacrest Reveals Wheel Of Fortune First Day Shoot Replacing Pat Sajak

Ryan Seacrest shared his experience on social media, detailing what each moment meant to him as he went about familiarizing himself with the Wheel of Fortune set. “You know, I could not sleep last night, I was so excited,” Seacrest said. “I slept OK, but still very excited for the alarm to go off.” When actually on the studio set, Seacrest remarked that the famous wheel with all the prize amounts was smaller than what he had been expecting based on what everyone sees on TV each day.

In an Instagram post, Ryan Seacrest honored Sajak for his time on Wheel of Fortune, saying, “Pat, congratulations on an incredible run with Wheel of Fortune! Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades. Your partnership with Vanna has been nothing short of iconic, and together, you’ve created countless wonderful memories for viewers. You’ve set the standard for hosts everywhere, and this marks the end of an era. Best wishes for all your future endeavors!”

Seacrest of course got his first major exposure to the spotlight through hosting American Idol, appearing right from the show’s start. He quickly became popular for his witty, charming, charismatic demeanor. He has remained a consistent on-screen personality since that time. While Pat Sajak has left some big shoes to fill, Ryan Seacrest has been very gracious in outlining what an honor he considers it to take up the mantle Sajak left behind on Wheel of Fortune.

After Sajak’s career on the game show spanning four decades, Ryan Seacrest has a tall task being the new host of Wheel of Fortune. All of the other classic game shows have also continued on after losing their iconic hosts. Jeopardy lost Alex Trebek to his illness, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? eventually had to replace Regis Philbin, and Bob Barker finished with The Price is Right after 35 years.

However, none of the new hosts of these shows have yet been able to become as iconic as their predecessors.

For Pat Sajak’s part, he has been very supportive of wishing Ryan Seacrest the best in taking Wheel of Fortune into a new era. Sajak was very humble and appreciative in his departure for the show, expressing gratitude for getting to be a part of so many fun moments and share his work with so many viewers over the years. While Sajak’s time with the show may be done, there are still many viewers who get enjoyment out of rewatching his old episodes for the memories.

As far as Ryan Seacrest’s official start with Wheel of Fortune, he still has a bit more time before he gets to take the screen. The new episodes begin airing in September of 2024, marking when the show will be ushered into its new era. However, not everything will be different. Vanna White will still remain on the show as the iconic co-host.

Ryan Seacrest seemed passionate to begin his hosting duties in the videos he shared on the Wheel of Fortune set. One of the first things he did was give the wheel a spin himself to hear its classic clacking sound as it goes round and round. Come September, he will have plenty of opportunity to hear it on a regular basis.

Source: Deadline