Ryan Seacrest Revealed Why Replacing Pat Sajak On "Wheel Of Fortune" Is A Full Circle Moment
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Add game show host to Ryan Seacrest's long list of jobs.
On Tuesday, the American Idol host announced that he's taking over for Pat Sajak as the host of Wheel of Fortune. Pat has hosted the show since 1981.
Earlier this month, Pat announced on Twitter that he plans to step down at the conclusion of Wheel of Fortune's 41st season, which will begin in the fall.
Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. 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!)
— Pat Sajak (@PatOnWheel) June 12, 2023
Ryan shared his announcement in a statement on Instagram Tuesday, saying he's "humbled" to step into Pat's footsteps. He'll officially take over for Pat in 2024.
"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," Ryan said.
He praised Pat for celebrating contestants on the show and making viewers "feel at ease," before noting that he's looking forward to learning from the longtime host during the job transition.
Ryan also noted that hosting Wheel of Fortune will be a "full circle moment."
"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 for Sony for the opportunity," he said.
He ended his statement by saying he plans to "continue the tradition of spinning the wheel" alongside longtime Wheel of Fortune cohost Vanna White. Vanna has cohosted the show since 1982.
Ryan's announcement comes on the heels of his exit from Live with Kelly and Ryan in April. The show is now called Live with Kelly and Mark, as actor Mark Consuelos (who is married to Kelly) replaced Ryan as cohost.
Ryan remains one of the most booked and busy stars in Hollywood. In addition to American Idol and now Wheel of Fortune, he also hosts a weekly radio show called On Air and the annual ABC New Year's Rockin' Eve special.
In fact, Ryan is no stranger to taking over for famed hosts. In 2005, he took over for Dick Clark as the host of the live New Year's Eve special.
