Wheel of Fortune has been a TV institution for decades.
But the show will have a new look this fall.
And Wheel of Fortune announced this huge change with a bombshell video.
New host Ryan Seacrest shares video on first day of filming
48-year-old Ryan Seacrest takes over the mantle of host following Pat Sajak’s stepping down.
Seacrest shares a backstage look with fans on what his first day of taping shows that will air this fall looked like on his Instagram account.
“A glimpse of my first day at @wheeloffortune, and I’m still spinning with excitement!” Seacrest wrote.
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The video showed Seacrest walking onto the set, spinning the iconic wheel for the first time, and showing fans memorabilia from the show such as a collection of co-host Vanna White’s dresses.
Sajak steps down
The 76-year-old Sajak stunned fans by announcing last June that the upcoming 2023-2024 season – his 41st as host – would be his last on Wheel of Fortune.
“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” Sajak wrote on X.
“I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)” Sajak added.
Wheel of Fortune producers quickly named Seacrest – best known as the host of American Idol – as Sajak’s successor.
“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” a statement from Seacrest read.
“I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them,” the statement added.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Seacrest heaped praise on Sajak as one of the great performers in the history of television.
“There’s no one better than Pat Sajak,” Seacrest stated.
“He is so smooth and seamless. He’s beloved by the country. So I feel a lot of pressure. [But] I’m really excited. I can’t wait to just give away a bunch of money to people every night,” Seacrest added.
Seacrest said he felt pressure stepping into such an iconic role.
But Seacrest added that Sajak gave his blessing.
“I’ve looked up to him forever. He’s so good at that job, which, you know, is a little bit of pressure here,” Seacrest added.
“But he just said, ‘You’re going to have a great time. It’s so much fun. What’s better than giving away money and doing that every single night?’ I can’t wait to meet the contestants and do it,” Seacrest concluded.
What will help Wheel of Fortune transition to a new host is that Vanna White will remain on the show for at least two more seasons.
White is a beloved figure on the show, and fans will still have that connective tissue to the show they watched on a nightly basis for years, as White will still offer to buy a vowel until at least 2026.
