Seacrest in.
Ryan Seacrest has been named the next host of "Wheel of Fortune," succeeding Pat Sajak. The news was confirmed in a statement on Seacrest's Instagram page.
"I'm truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak," Seacrest said. "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."
Sajak revealed his planned exit from "Wheel of Fortune" on June 12, so this was a surprisingly quick announcement, especially compared to what happened when "Jeopardy!" needed to find a new host. After Alex Trebek died in 2020, the quiz show brought in a series of guest hosts over the course of months before finally announcing a succession plan in August 2021 — only for one of the new hosts, Mike Richards, to immediately resign in disgrace after offensive podcast comments resurfaced. "Wheel" and "Jeopardy!" are both produced by Sony.
The timing worked out for Seacrest, as he announced his exit from "Live With Kelly and Ryan" in February. He has also served as host of "American Idol" and game shows like "The Million Second Quiz" and "Click." But Seacrest won't be taking over until 2024, as Sajak is returning for one last season.
In his Instagram post, Seacrest said he's "grateful to Sony for the opportunity" and "can't wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White." His statement implied White will return to the show, and Puck recently reported she is negotiating to stay on after her current deal ends.
When he announced his retirement, Sajak told fans that "the time has come," adding, "It's been a wonderful ride, and I'll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all."
