Ryan Seacrest to Replace Pat Sajak as New 'Wheel of Fortune' Host: 'I'm Truly Humbled'

Pat Sajak announced on June 12 that he plans to retire after Wheel of Fortune's upcoming 41st season

Wheel of Fortune officially has its next host.

Sony Pictures Television announced on Tuesday that Ryan Seacrest has been tapped as Pat Sajak's replacement. The former Live with Kelly and Ryan co-host's multi-year deal — which will also see him serve as a consulting producer on the show — will begin next year after Sajak's 40-year-long run concludes.

"I'm truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. 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," Seacrest, 48, said in a statement. "Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition."

The American Idol host continued, "Many people probably don’t know this but one of my first jobs was hosting a little game show called Click for Merv Griffin 25 years ago so this is truly a full circle moment for me and I’m grateful to Sony for the opportunity.  I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White."

Related: Pat Sajak Lines Up Next Gig After 'Wheel of Fortune' Retirement News

Also addressing the hosting shakeup was Ravi Ahuja, Chairman of Global Television Studios at Sony Pictures, who said: "We are ecstatic to have Ryan as the next host of Wheel of Fortune. Ryan loves Wheel as much as we do and is the perfect person to continue the show’s four-decade success into the future."

The news comes after Pat Sajak announced earlier this month that he would retire after the show's upcoming 41st season, which begins filming in September.

"Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last," he shared on Twitter. "It’s been a wonderful ride, and 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!)"

Related: Pat Sajak Announces His Retirement from 'Wheel of Fortune' After 41 Seasons: 'The Time Has Come'

Suzanne Prete, the EVP of Game Shows at Sony Pictures Television, also confirmed Sajak's upcoming retirement in a statement to PEOPLE, but added that the 76-year-old television personality would stay onboard as a consultant on the series for the next three years.

"As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years," Prete said. "We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season. Pat has agreed to continue as a consultant on the show for three years following his last year hosting, so we’re thrilled to have him remaining close to the Wheel of Fortune family!"

In September 2022, Sajak — who began hosting Wheel of Fortune in 1981 — hinted at the possibility of his retirement, saying he'll probably leave the series before it goes off air.

Related: 'Wheel of Fortune' Host Pat Sajak Says 'The End Is Near' After 40 Years

"In most television shows by this time, you would have said, 'That's probably enough,' but this show will not die," Sajak told Entertainment Tonight. "It appears I may go before the show.”

Sajak, who hosts alongside Vanna White, spoke of his television tenure and the idea that nothing is meant to last forever. "Years go by fast," Sajak said. "We're getting near the end. It's been a long [time]. We're not gonna do this for another 40 years. The end is near."

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Sajak took a brief hiatus from Wheel of Fortune in 2019 after undergoing surgery for a blocked intestine. White stood in as host in Sajak's absence.

"I'm as good or bad as new, and that's great," he said upon his return. "I still have my wits about me. They didn't remove that, so I'll be selling vowels for a long time."

Seacrest, meanwhile, left his longtime co-hosting role on Live with Kelly and Ryan in April after six years. He still continues to juggle several other gigs, including hosting American Idol and the On Air with Ryan Seacrest radio show.

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