NEWSRyan Seacrest Fails to Mention Prior Host Pat Sajak During His 'Wheel of Fortune' Debut
Ryan Seacrest failed to mention Pat Sajak during his 'Wheel of Fortune' debut.
Sept. 10 2024, Published 12:37 p.m. ET
Ryan Seacrest is officially the new host of Wheel of Fortune, but on his first day on the job, he failed to mention Pat Sajak's name during the introduction.
“And now together for the first time, here are the stars of our show, Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White!” announcer Jim Thornton said.
“I am your host, Ryan Seacrest. I still can’t believe my luck of being here with you tonight to continue this legacy of this incredible show with all of you. And of course, my good friend Vanna White,” the TV host, 49, said at the top of the show, which aired on Monday, September 9.
“Thank you for the very warm welcome,” he continued. “Hosting Wheel of Fortune is a dream job. I’ve been a fan of this show since I was a kid watching it in Atlanta with my family. And I know how special it is that ‘Wheel’ has been in your living rooms for the pat 40 years. And I’m just so grateful to be invited in. I also know I’ve got some very big shoes to fill. So, let’s play Wheel of Fortune."
Seacrest did not mention Sajak, who announced he would be retiring from the game show in June 2023.
Seacrest left fans divided about his hosting duties.
Ryan Seacrest didn't mention Pat Sajak by name on the show.
"Ryan Seacrest did a good job on his first day hosting #WheelOfFortune,” one person wrote on X after the premiere. “As for the set, it will take a while to adjust to it. If #Jeopardy can redesign their set every 5 or so seasons, why not Wheel?" while another said, "Watching Ryan Seacrest’s #WheelOfFortune and find it funny how despite redesigning the whole set, they left the old green circle on the wheel itself."
“Ryan Seacrest will take some getting used to, but he did well and I like some of the visual modernizations,” a third person wrote. “The only thing that rubbed me wrong was the ‘LG’ in the bonus puzzle. It felt a little shameless. And those are my Wheel of Fortune hot takes.”
Vanna White said she was 'scared' she wouldn't have chemistry with Ryan Seacrest.
“Ryan Seacrest will take some getting used to, but he did well and I like some of the visual modernizations,” another X user penned. “The only thing that rubbed me wrong was the ‘LG’ in the bonus puzzle. It felt a little shameless. And those are my Wheel of Fortune hot takes.”
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Ryan Seacrest left fans divided over his new job.
White, who has been on the show since 1982, spoke about how she was nervous to not get along with Seacrest.
“I’ve known Ryan for probably 20 years,” said White. “But in the past couple of months, we’ve done some traveling together for the show, and we got to know each other a little better, too.”
“I had no idea what to expect when I’m used to one person for so long," she continued, noting she was "very scared," but said he's doing a "great job."
Pat Sajak announced he was retiring from the game show in 2023.
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Seacrest previously gushed about his new gig earlier this year.
“It was magical to see the set,” Seacrest previously told People. “I remember growing up as a kid, you would see things about the backlot at Universal Studios, and you would see how movies were made. And then the first time I came to L.A., I went to the back lots and I saw some of that stuff that you'd only seen on TV, and it's a little bit of an awestruck moment. It's the same with this Wheel of Fortune set that's so iconic.”
“The wheel, the sound of the wheel, then at the board, the letters, the puzzle board — it's just something that's so embedded in your memory as a visual from watching on TV,” he continued. “So to see it in person was very exciting.”
