Created by Merv Griffin (Jeopardy!, The Merv Griffin Show), the game show Wheel of Fortune first premiered on NBC in 1975. Since then, there have been forty seasons that have aired on NBC, ABC, and CBS. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pat Sajak (Airplane II: The Sequel, The A-Team), who has been a host of the show since 1981, recently announced his retirement.
As The Hollywood Reporter notes, Sajak announced his plans to retire by stating, “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.”
Wheel of Fortune challenges contestants to solve a puzzle by guessing letters. The goal of the game is to accurately solve the puzzle and earn as much money as possible while doing so. Vanna White (Double Dragon, Goddess of Love) has been a host alongside Sajak, and she is in charge of revealing letters after each guess.
In light of Sajak’s retirement announcement, there has been speculation about who will be the new host. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the speculation has ended as it has been revealed that Ryan Seacrest (American Idol, Shahs of Sunset) will be Sajak’s replacement.
This was announced by Sony Pictures’ Chairman of Global Television Studios named Ravi Ahuja. Ahuja stated, “Ryan loves Wheel as much as we do and is the perfect person to continue the show’s four-decade success into the future.”
Seacrest, as The Hollywood Reporter notes, was thrilled about this opportunity. He explained, “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.”
Fans of the long-standing game show can look forward to seeing how Seacrest lives up to the beloved host Pat Sajak in Wheel of Fortune‘s 2024-25 season.