Watching something on a near-daily basis makes it easy to take certain elements for granted without questioning anything. Wheel of Fortune may be among the best game shows of all time, but that doesn’t mean it’s 100% perfect in all viewers’ eyes, and I love that fans recently debated a concept that I’ve long taken issue with: prize amounts being added to contestants’ total winnings.

Over on Reddit, theWheel of Fortune viewer dubbed @costoaway1 plainly stated their opinion that players’ final totals shouldn’t include the value of any prizes won, and should only reflect the money earned from wheel spins and puzzle solves. The argument made is a European vacation, for example, can sometimes be worth such a significant amount of money that winning it gives that contestant a giant advantage over the others, even if that contestant doesn’t solve any other puzzles.

As well, the Redditor points to the “strategy” of the game suffering because of it, with contestants arguably less likely to keep spinning for potentially more money when scores are more lopsided, and the instinct can often be to solve the puzzle as quickly as possible just to get any amount of money on the board. So let me just get my own stance out there.

I Totally Agree That Certain Prizes Should Be Excluded From Contestants' Winnings

I certainly can't remember the first time I mentally scoffed at Wheel of Fortune, but I know for sure that it became far more magnified once the show introduced the standalone Prize Puzzle, which guarantees at least one contestant's earnings being boosted by a costly trip. They might as well just also have a $15,000 round where whoever guesses it right automatically gets $15K added to whatever was earned from getting letters correct.

One of the fans commenting beneath the OP's opinion made a pretty solid additional point that I think I agree with more than the idea of just eliminating all prize totals from players' winnings. As @FlightTwoZeroNiner put it:

Those are valid points against the idea of removing prizes from the equation entirely, and probably play into why I may not have been so bothered by it until the Prize Puzzles came into being. It's the spontaneousness and chance that makes the prizes just as important as anything else, knowing that winning one could send someone from third place to first. It's similar to any of the higher-total wedges on the wheel in that way, if more costly.

Other good points were also made, as seen below, and it makes me wish that Wheel of Fortune's creative team had Reddit alerts set for when fans have logical ideas about changes.

• I think they need to increase the values on the wheel anyway. As it is, the person who wins the prize puzzle goes to the bonus round like what 90% of the time? - @ReazonableHuman
• the inflation economy has kinda broken the prize element. if the wheel numbers don't inflate, but the value of the trips do, the game is broken. - @one-hour-photo
• As an alternative, they can start by being more consistent with keeping the prize puzzles to a lower dollar value. This happened a lot in the last couple of weeks of the season, where the prize puzzles were mostly in the $7-8k range, which made it so that the winner didn't always have a runaway game. Contrast that with the repeat game from tonight (originally aired 2/4) where the prize puzzle was a trip to Patagonia worth over $16k. No one is catching whoever wins that, and there is no longer any drama for the triple tossups and the final spin. - @tributtal

I doubt audiences will see any changes made to episodes set to air on the 2026 TV schedule, but I think if enough viewers start saying episodes aren't exciting and are too predictable because of the Prize Puzzle, it's technically possible that such viewpoints could affect future seasons. Not that I think they'd get rid of trips altogether, or else the show itself might not make any money.

Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are two of the best game shows of all time. While they have both gone through major changes in recent years, most notably with the hosts, they still remain a favorite among many viewers. Even though the two shows don’t interact too much with each other, Jeopardy!’s Ken Jennings just showed some love for Vanna White with a pretty big Wheel of Fortune prop.

It’s always a treat when Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune acknowledge the other’s existence, whether during an episode or when one of the hosts posts something on social media, like Jennings. The former Jeopardy! champ and current host took to his Instagram over the weekend to share a photo he took with the world’s largest $3,500 WOF space in LA, and it’s pretty big. Like big enough for Derek Hough to climb on and dance. Check it out:

Not only do I love how massive that wheel wedge is, but I love that Jennings wanted to get a photo with it in the first place. He also made sure to show love to White, who has been co-hosting Wheel of Fortune for decades. Jennings responded to one fan in the comments who praised White for being on the show for 43 years, and he shared equal praise:

It’s sweet seeing Jennings giving White her flowers while also visiting a big part of Wheel of Fortune. Those interested in checking out the world’s largest $3,500 WOF space, Jennings responded to another fan wondering where it is. And it sounds like it is a permanent prop, so people don’t have to worry about it going away any time soon, especially since there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight for Wheel of Fortune:

Since Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are known rivals, and Jennings has even poked fun at his competitor in the past, it seems like not everything is a competition. There is definitely a lot of love between the two shows, at least when it comes to the hosts, and as someone who watches both shows from time to time, I’m very happy to see Jennings giving some love to White. The only thing that would make it even better is if Jennings ever did Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. Of course, he might be busy with his own job, but you never know.

It’s hard to think of a world without Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, so it’s a good thing there aren’t any plans to get rid of either for quite a while. The rivalry may continue, but it’s clear that the competition is only between the actual competitors and not the hosts, because between them, it’s all love and support and giant props that can be found on the soundstages.

Wheel of Fortune is one of the best game shows of all time, and continues to be in its 51^st year. The show is in a new era following Pat Sajak’s retirement with Ryan Seacrest taking over, but Vanna White has been the one constant for most of Wheel’s run. However, some concern is being raised after the show’s future expansion about White’s future on it.

It’s been revealed in a press release that Wheel of Fortune is coming back for at least two more seasons, so the show’s own future isn’t in question, at least. Via TV Insider, there is also one more bright spot about the renewal, as the press release shared:

It’s a relief that Seacrest is coming back to host, but this raises the question of whether White will be joining him. There is no mention about White returning, but this echoes what she previously went through. When Sajak announced his retirement, White negotiated her contract for months. There were rumors of her leaving, but she was ultimately able to land her big raise. She also explained why she didn’t want to leave the show with Sajak, saying she wasn’t ready to retire like he was.

Her new deal, though, was only for two more seasons, which could be why she wasn’t named in the press release. It’s entirely possible she’s negotiating a new contract, but it’s still worrisome considering what happened last time. White has been a staple on Wheel of Fortune since 1982, and it’s hard to imagine the show without her. Unfortunately, no matter how long she’s been on the show, it’s unknown whether she’s going to be coming back.

Even though things seemed to be rocky at first between Seacrest and White as they tried to adapt to this new environment, the two of them have certainly grown closer in the last couple of years. So much so that they’ve been pranking each other from time to time. There hasn’t been any indication that she has plans to step away from Wheel of Fortune, as she really only works for a month on the show. But now that Wheel has been renewed for two more seasons, it’s possible more information on her future will be announced soon.

If White were to leave Wheel of Fortune, who would take her place? Pat Sajak’s daughter, Maggie Sajak, who works on the show as the on-air social media correspondent, has been a favorite among fans to take over as the letter turner. She’s done the job a few times for White and is definitely familiar to fans, so it’s a possibility. Wheel of Fortune has changed a lot over the years, and whether the next change will be a new co-host remains to be seen. Hopefully, White is sticking around for a little longer, but the suspense will continue for the time being.

Wheel Of Fortune has been around for a long time, and thus has had a considerable amount of time to put together tons of different categories. The show is one of the best game shows of all time for a reason, and one of those reasons is its broad variety of options, from “Rhyme Time,” which has been around since the ‘90s, to more recent additions like “What the Fun,” a category that was only added during Ryan Seacrest’s tenure. Recently, Pat Sajak’s daughter Maggie (who may one day be up for the TV gig) asked the two hosts about their “favorite” category on the show, and frankly, I think they got it all wrong.

If you were to ask Ryan and Vanna, they surprisingly would not choose a classic WOF category as their favorite. Going through a wide swathe of popular options, the two eventually latch onto Pet Peeves” as the best of the best. This is interesting given the category was only introduced on the show back in January of 2025. Seacrest had only taken over the show, landing it a serious ratings boost, a few months before.

His rapport with Vanna White cannot be denied, however. Take a look and see if you agree, below. (As I said before, I don’t.)

One of the problems I think with this game is the this-or-that format and the fact that Seacrest and White are forced into a situation where they had to agree (even when they clearly didn’t in moments). The other problem I think this video has is with defining what it is looking for. Maggie asks them to pick their best and favorite category, but the two co-leads wonder what that means. Is it the “easiest”? The “most fun”? I’m just saying, Ryan Seacrest wants more parameters.

We know from history that “Phrase” is a likely candidate for most common category on the show. “Food & Drink” is among the easiest, in my opinion, and a popularly picked bonus round category. If I’m just straight up choosing what category I think is my favorite, to me, the answer here has to be “Before and After.” Those puzzles are difficult sometimes, so I see the lack of love from Ryan and Vanna, but to me they are the most fun of the harder puzzles on the show. Unfortunately, what I think is the best category literally got knocked off first.

To note, however, WOF superfans are a fastidious bunch, and seem to like the more challenging puzzles. A quick perusal over various threads on social media had people citing “On The Map” among their favorites. Some cited the "crossword puzzles" as the best, which are notoriously difficult, too. When it comes to the crosswords, Vanna White definitely is out:

Ultimately, I think what this shows is that tastes vary on Wheel of Fortune and it’s a good thing the show is always changing up and adding categories as it returns to the TV schedule. Regardless, my one pet peeve with pet peeves is how easy it can be to muck up a letter. “Microwaving fish at work” could easily have been “microwaving dish at work,” and so on and so forth. So, I’m sticking to my guns here, even if “Before and After” rarely makes the bonus round.

There’s no arguing that Wheel of Fortune is one of the best game shows of all time, as its 43rd season airs on the 2026 TV schedule, but it also seems to be a really fun place to work. Ryan Seacrest is always getting up to something, whether that’s pulling pranks on Vanna White during their meeting or showing off his breakdancing moves. The crew’s latest silly stunt has them doing their impressions of what a pit stop sounds like, and guys, it is something to behold.

Wheel of Fortune has partnered with NASCAR for this week’s games, with contestants able to win themed prizes and the chance to return to play alongside NASCAR Cup Series favorites Team Penske’s Joey Logano, Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell on the February 13 episode. Ryan Seacrest, Vanna White and a couple of other familiar faces embraced the theme by showing off some impressive sound effect skills on Instagram:

I absolutely can’t stop laughing at Maggie Sajak’s pit stop impression, which sounded to me more like an angry puppy than a car (not that I could do any better). Vanna White might as well have been trying to yodel, and I loved every second. In fact, all of their sound effects were impressive and hilarious in equal measure.

Ryan Seacrest threw me a bit talking about the Muppets and “the guy who made all the sounds.” At first I wondered if he was talking about Beaker, but after consulting my favorite Muppets expert, I think the host was talking about Sesame Street’s Simon Soundman, who had several sketches with Waiter Grover but also some where he made car noises:

Now that we got that settled …

Pat Sajak’s daughter acknowledged her animalistic-sounding pit stop impression in the comments of the Instagram post, inspiring this exchange between her and the official Wheel of Fortune account:

• Maggie Sajak: My dolphin noises are way better #comingsoon
• Wheel of Fortune: [Maggie], they’re not ready 👀

Don’t tease us like that, Maggie!

It certainly has been a fun season, as Ryan Seacrest settles into his second year as host after taking over for Pat Sajak. For one thing, he reached the milestone he’d been looking forward to since accepting the post — awarding his first million-dollar prize.

It’s also been fun to see him embrace the physical aspect of the job, which was not something I was aware of when Pat Sajak was the host. Ryan Seacrest must just have the face of someone who contestants like to manhandle, and he’s never afraid to sacrifice his body for the sake of a good bit, which we can hopefully all appreciate. I certainly do.

If you missed any of the NASCAR-themed fun this week, not to worry! Episodes of Wheel of Fortune are now available to stream the next day with either a Hulu subscription or a Peacock subscription, and be sure to check your local listings to see when the show airs in your area.

I’ve watched my fair share of Wheel of Fortune — as have many, being that it’s one of the best game shows of all time — and I’ve definitely witnessed plenty of hilariously bad guesses and shockingly dirty answers. Throw all of those past mistakes out, though, because Kathy Hilton just reached new lows on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, and it seems the Internet is just as exasperated as I am.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills personality appeared with rapper Rick Ross and comedian Riki Lindhome on January 16, as Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Season 6 continued on the 2026 TV schedule. My mouth was agape for the majority of the next hour, as it became clear that Kathy Hilton was completely unfamiliar with the game she was playing. One fan captured actual footage of my face by the end of that hour:

Kathy Hilton committed just about every Wheel of Fortune faux pas I’ve seen, and then some. She shouted, “I know it!” instead of buzzing in during the Toss Up puzzles (yes, more than once); she picked letters that were already on the board; she asked for letters before spinning the wheel; she requested vowels when she was instructed to pick consonants.

Ryan Seacrest did everything but hold her hand, instructing her every step of the way, and really she never caught on.

It was an actually incredible TV viewing experiences — as stressful as watching The Bear; as cringe-inducing as anything from Tim Robinson. For a Rhyme Time puzzle, she guessed “Dippel Rapper” (the answer was “Dapper Rapper”). Fans lit up social media with thoughts like:

• I’m watching Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and I’m becoming irrationally upset that Kathy Hilton has no idea how the game works. – kurtisallen
• Kathy Hilton on Wheel of Fortune was a movie. Never seen anything like it before. – BranBTC
• What a strange thing we all just witnessed… – NicoletteD26829
• Kathy Hilton is on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and has absolutely no clue what’s going on. She’s just blurting out of turn, calling out letters that are already revealed. Like????? LMAOOOOO – NotWith_TheShit
• Whew chile, Kathy Hilton is proof you don’t need a brain to have money. I’ve never see anything like this 😭 – brileighh11

This episode was truly wild — and I haven't even touched on the somewhat awkward interaction between her and longtime friend Vanna White, who responded that her child’s birth “was different than yours” after Kathy Hilton revealed that White was in the room when she had her son, Conrad.

It seems fans had all kinds of different takeaways from this episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, as they listed some highlights:

• The best part of Kathy Hilton on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune tonight had to be her calling the letter T while it was up there already, and then doing it again on her next turn. – xusertommy
• My favorite part of Kathy Hilton's train wreck on Wheel of Fortune had to be when she was wandering off set before they were done 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 – blazerdebbie
• My favorite was the bonus round, with an N on the board, she asked if she could have another N. – bb_kc

Yes, that last one floored me. Let me say that again: When Ryan Seacrest informed her that N was already on the board, Kathy Hilton asked, "Can I get another N?" Then, instead of trying to solve the puzzle as her 10 seconds started to tick down, she kept shouting out letters. It was rough.

This was definitely one appearance that will go down in Wheel of Fortune history, so if you want to witness all of the madness for yourself, you can stream the episode with a Hulu subscription.

After 50 years, Wheel of Fortune remains one of the best game shows of all time, even as it enters the 2026 TV schedule. Of course, a lot has changed over the years for the series, including Ryan Seacrest taking over for longtime host Pat Sajak, who retired. What hasn’t changed is Vanna White, who has remained co-host and notable letter-turner since the early ‘80s. That doesn’t mean that White hasn’t dealt with changes, and I sure didn’t see a laser pointer being involved.

Considering a lot has changed over the years in terms of technology, Wheel of Fortune has had to acclimate as well. This means having to upgrade the stage and the famous puzzle board, and things were not what they used to be. While appearing on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, White told the radio host just how much has changed over the years and how little work she really has to do now:

Having to spend so many years turning letters on Wheel of Fortune probably got exhausting. And who knows what it does to the wrist, especially when they’re filming so many shows in one day. Even though the letter-turning was an iconic part of WoF, it’s understandable they thought it was time to retire it and move into something new. The puzzle board is continuing to evolve because the fact that White doesn’t even have to touch the letters now is impressive and it’s all because of a laser pointer:

Even though White is excited about the fact that she no longer has to even touch the letter and only has to wave her hand in front of it, that doesn’t mean it’s always the greatest. Just like any piece of technology, it has its flaws and probably can’t always be dependable. That being said, White admitted she’s only turned the wrong letter once, and that was back when she was physically turning them. So perhaps technology on Wheel of Fortune has its advantages.

I can't imagine what the next puzzleboard will look like and how it will improve, but it seems like Vanna White is content for now with the motion sensor laser pointer. And it seems to be working out just fine. Though perhaps one of these seasons, things will go back to the old-school way. You just never know.

If anything, Wheel of Fortune is still unpredictable after all these years, and that’s what makes it entertaining. You don’t know who could be the next million-dollar winner, or what ridiculous guesses contestants will have, or, at this rate, what the next way to turn the letter over will be. There isn’t an end in sight for the series, so fans will just have to wait and see what’s in store.

Vanna White has been shining on our television screens for more than 40 years as the co-host of Wheel of Fortune, and while it may seem like a simple (and irrelevant) thing, one of the most notable aspects of the show is White’s iconic wardrobe. From floor-length sequined gowns to shimmering pantsuits, she has looked consistently exquisite standing at the side of the big puzzle board, and that means a lot of time trying on dresses.

As the 43rd season of one of the best game shows of all time continues to air on the 2025 TV schedule, exactly how much time does Vanna White put in to find that perfect dress, and how many outfits does she have to try on? She gave us a peek inside what a taping day is like on Wheel of Fortune, including what sounds like an exhausting start, telling E! News:

If Vanna White is getting in and out of 30 to 40 dresses in 90 minutes, that is super impressive. I’d definitely need a break after that, and hopefully her time in the hair and makeup chairs provide that for her. Then, she still isn’t done with the outfit changes, because she has to change into a different dress during each 15-minute break they get between episodes.

Ryan Seacrest’s co-host has said before that they only film 34 days a year, so I guess they have to make the most of that time. When trying on all of the outfits, the only rule they have to meet is that Vanna White has to be able to raise her arms to the top row of letters. If her movement is restricted, the dress gets nixed.

In her 42 years as the Wheel of Fortune letter-turner, only one dress has been repeated (by accident), though she does wear her many pairs of shoes more than once. She prefers a cocktail dress over a long gown, she’s said, so she doesn’t have to worry about tripping in her heels. (For what it’s worth, Ryan Seacrest has taken multiple spills in his short time as host, but I don’t think we’ve ever seen Vanna White fall — though she did get whacked in the head with confetti once).

Her favorite look would be a bright pastel, loose-fitting cocktail dress with sleeves so that she wouldn’t have to wear a strapless bra, but even if and when she wears an outfit that she loves, she doesn’t get to keep it. Every one of the more than 8,000 dresses Vanna White has adorned on Wheel of Fortune is on loan, and her outfits are documented and returned after filming ends.

Those dresses may not have anything to do with the actual puzzle-solving, but there’s obviously a lot of thought and work that goes into dressing the famous co-host, and I for one think the effort is worth it.

Check your local listings to see when episodes air in your area, or you can now stream Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, with either a Hulu subscription or a Peacock subscription.

The game of Wheel of Fortune hasn’t changed much in the past 40-plus years it’s been on the air, with its strong premise making it one of the best game shows of all time. However, different elements have been added over time to keep things fresh, including the Million-Dollar Wedge and the Toss-Up rounds. Now, a new bonus round is about to be introduced that’s worth up to $500,000, but there’s a catch — it will be for one night only.

Wheel of Fortune will kick off a special DraftKings Casino Multiplier Tournament when it airs on the 2025 TV schedule from November 24 to 28. The top three players from the Monday-Thursday episodes will return on Friday and face off in a championship for the chance to compete in a special Toss-Up Bonus Round, where they could win a half-million dollars. Let’s break down how this new bonus round is going to work, per TV Insider.

While the first four episodes of the week will feature the typical Bonus Round puzzle, Friday’s puzzle will be replaced by five Toss-Up puzzles, all in the same category. The winner of the championship who advances to that round will have 45 seconds to solve all five, winning $10,000 per correctly solved Toss-Up. The contestant can move on to the next puzzle after an incorrect solve, but the clock won’t stop.

The player will still choose their category, have “RSTLNE” given to them and spin the bonus wheel, but for one night only, instead of dollar amounts and prizes, the envelopes will contain multipliers to increase winnings by 2, 3 or 4 times. That means if they get all five Toss-Up puzzles correct for $50,000 and pull the 4x multiplier, they win $200,000.

But here’s the big twist. During Friday’s championship, a special DraftKingsCasino 10X Multiplier Wild Wedge will be added to the Big Wheel in the regular rounds. If someone lands on it, they can choose to use it like a typical Wild Card or hold onto it for the Toss-Up Bonus Round. If that happens, a 10x envelope will be added to the bonus wheel, and the $50,000 possible for solving all five puzzles would increase to $500,000 if that envelope is chosen.

Wheel of Fortune definitely isn’t making it easy to win that maximum amount of money. It's a lot like how the million-dollar prize seemed unattainable until Christina Derevjanik gave Ryan Seacrest his first seven-digit winner on September 30, 2025, which was a milestone he’d been looking forward to since taking over for Pat Sajak as the game show’s host a year earlier.

One other addition will be made when Wheel of Fortune pairs with DraftKings Casino next week: Two multiplier wedges will be added to the wheel throughout the tournament. Contestants who land on these spaces will receive $1,000 for each of their chosen consonant on the board, which will be multiplied by 2, 3, 4 or 5, depending on the number on the other side of the wedge.

I’m really intrigued to see how this Toss-Up Bonus Round is going to work, and it’s kind of a bummer that we’ll only get to see it in one episode. However, if everything goes well, perhaps that will leave the door open for other sponsored tournaments to follow suit.

Check your local listings to see when to catch the game show in your area, or you can now stream Wheel of Fortune (and Jeopardy!) episodes the next day with either a Hulu subscription or Peacock subscription.

Wheel of Fortune remains one of the best game shows of all time, even decades after it first premiered. No episode is the same, of course, but each one manages to keep viewers on the edge of their seats or frustrated when it comes to a contestant solving a puzzle. There’s also the nerves that the contestants feel whenever they're on, and even Vanna White still gets nervous after being on the show for over half her life, but I totally get it.

White has been the co-host since 1982, and she has seen a lot. Of course, it’s always hard to predict what will happen on a game show since there is no script, and it’s what makes game shows like Wheel of Fortune so entertaining. And it’s why White still gets nervous from time to time. There is one thing that White still isn’t quite used to after all these years, and she tells Parade what makes her nervous:

Considering there is always a chance that the contestant lands on the million dollars, it’s nerve-wracking to know that their future may depend on the ability to solve a single puzzle. It’s nerve-wracking as a viewer, but I can’t imagine the kind of tension on set. There have been a small handful of people to land on the million dollars and solve the bonus puzzle correctly in the show’s run, most recently earlier this month.

Aside from her heart pounding when it comes to a contestant, maybe winning a million dollars, White revealed that there’s another moment that truly made her nervous. And after almost 30 years, she still can’t stop thinking about it, sharing in a previous interview with Closer:

There have been a lot of celebrities to grace the Wheel of Fortune stages, but running into icons like Stevie Wonder and Mister Rogers have left her starstruck and I don't blame her. The beloved Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood host appeared during Pittsburgh Week in September 1998. As for Wonder, it sounds like it was just a random chance meeting, but considering some of his songs have been used on the show, perhaps he just wanted to pay everyone a surprise visit. Regardless, it sounds like it was a dream on both accounts.

Vanna White may get nervous at times, but she seems to be handling it like a pro every time. It makes sense that she still gets nervous, and why she’s gotten nervous, but now I need to know how Pat Sajak felt during those moments as well. And there’s no telling what else might be in store when it comes to viral moments. Wheel of Fortune is still going through firsts, so nothing is predictable.

A new season of Wheel of Fortune has kicked off on the 2025 TV schedule, which means a second season of Ryan Seacrest as host. While not as iconic a duo as Pat Sajak and Vanna White, the new host does seem to have a good thing going with his co-host so far. The two apparently even have a strange pre-show ritual that proves they’ve got each other’s backs.

It’s kind of hard to believe we’re into our second season of Wheel of Fortune since Pat Sajak — one of the greatest game show hosts of all time — retired.. Still, it’s been kind of delightful to see the camaraderie grow between Sajak's replacement, Ryan Seacrest, and longtime letter-turner Vanna White, including the adorable “V-Dubs” nickname he gave her. White said they even have fallen into a routine before taking the stage. She told People:

She said that he is, “of course,” honest in his response, which shows just how comfortable the two are around each other. It’s a two-way street, too, when it comes to taking care of each other’s infectious smiles. Ryan Seacrest previously revealed the super-thoughtful gift he received from Vanna White, saying:

White strips may not be the most extravagant gift Ryan Seacrest has ever received, but isn’t it the small, practical things that sometimes mean the most?

Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest have gotten along famously from the very beginning of his stint as Wheel of Fortune’s new host. Soon after taking the job, the American Idol host confirmed White’s icon status, saying, “She’s a legend,” and exactly as lovely as you’d expect. Fans got a peek at their chemistry ahead of his debut, as well, when Wheel of Fortune posted some fun behind-the-scenes footage from a photoshoot.

It doesn’t sound like it took too long for the hijinks to start between them, either, as Ryan Seacrest apparently pranked his co-star by putting her 1996 Christmas album on for one of their pre-show meetings to see if she’d notice. (Spoiler: It took her a minute!)

It’s undoubtedly a relief to fans that Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White have gotten off to a strong start on Wheel of Fortune after rumors spread that there was trouble backstage between the two.

Check your local listings to see when Wheel of Fortune airs in your area, but now you can catch episodes the next day on streaming, with either a Hulu subscription or a Peacock subscription. You can also catch the co-hosts and their perfectly white smiles on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune at 8 p.m. ET Fridays on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu

Of all the small-screen debuts popping up in the 2025 Fall TV schedule, only one can change someone’s fate with the spin of a wheel: Wheel of Fortune. (Okay, The Price Is Right also counts, but we’re only talking about horizontal wheels here.) One of the best game shows of all time, WoF is gearing up for Season 43 to debut, and it looks like there’s an interesting new wheel wedge to mark the occasion.

Audiences got one of their first looks at the new season when Wheel of Fortune shared a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram that featured a quick look at the latest iteration of the big wheel. Check it out below and see if you can spot the seemingly new addition right off.

In the comment section of the video, one fan chimed in and pointed out the assumed change, sparking the response also seen below:

• Wait, is that a new wedge I see on the wheel? - @iamdanielmcgee
  • Yeah, and it looks like it reads “Year of Fun” on top. I could be wrong thoe. - @germanname1990

Sure enough, there does seem to be a new wheel entry labeled as "Year of Fun," with some colorful splashes on the wedge itself. Perhaps someone can say differently, that it's actually saying "Hear oh Fan," but then I'm going to also want to know what "Hear oh Fan" means as a game show prize.

Considering Wheel of Fortune is still technically celebrating 50 years since its TV debut, the prize wedge could have something to do with that anniversary, even if the prize itself doesn't directly tie into anything specific. But what kind of a prize could that even be, and is it going to be big enough to cause players to tackle Ryan Seacrest on the set in celebration?

My Guesses For What The "Year Of Fun" Wheel Wedge Means

Wheel of Fortune obviously gives away some huge and lavish prizes each season that no doubt add up over time, which makes a "Year of..." anything seem like potential overkill. In that way, I can't imagine it will be akin to a year-long cruise that circumnavigates the globe a dozen times, since that would be a costly affair. (Maybe if the new prize was set as a third of a wedge like the $1 million prize, I'd think differently. ) But I also don't think it'll end up being a slightly jokey prize like Let's Make a Deal's giving players a year's supply of Rice-a-Roni. So what else could it be?

• Season tickets for a desired sports team.
• Concert tickets from a specific arena, or from a specific artist/group.
• A year's worth of Broadway tickets.
• A year-long pass to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando or another major theme park.
• Free movie tickets (and snacks) for a year from a specific theater chain.
• The contestant is forced to listen to the band Fun's two albums on repeat for an entire year.

Okay, so that last one is probably the least likely choice, but most of the others seem feasible at least. Which isn't to say any of those ideas are correct, but I'm eager to see how close I got.

Another New Wedge May Also Be Involved

Directly across from the presumed "Year of Fun" wedge is another wheel spot that doesn't immediately look familiar to me, though I could easily be wrong about that. Part of the issue is that it's nearly impossible to read the words on the wedge.

If I squint, I can almost convince myself that it says something about Canada, possibly indicating a Canadian vacation, but it could also easily be canapes or Canton or something about a camera. There's only way surefire way to find out, and it involves being in front of your TV when new episodes debut.

Wheel of Fortune Season 43 will premiere on Monday, September 8, in syndication. Thankfully for any fans like me whose pre-primetime game shows often get preempted by weather reports and local news updates, both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune will steam the next day with either a Peacock subscription or a Hulu subscription.

It’s been more than a year since Pat Sajak’s said farewell to fans for his final Wheel of Fortune episode (not counting the Celebrity-infused spinoff), with Ryan Seacrest sliding in to take his place last fall. The latter has come a long way in less than a year, but it’s safe to assume there are some viewers who still haven’t quite grown accustomed to anyone other than Sajak heading up one of the best game shows of all time, and want him back.

While it’s certainly possible that the longtime WoF host could return in small doses down the line, it’s more likely that his interactions with contestants are a thing of the past. If that is indeed the case, one fan’s Reddit post could serve as a quasi-totem reminding others of what Pat Sajak was actually like on the set, as shared by some of the hopefuls who were there.

Though Sajak has earned some ire over the years for his off-screen politics, as well as his on-screen snarkiness in later years — remember when he called a contestant’s severed-toe anecdote the most pointless story ever? — I’m happy that the stories shared here represented the kind of Wheel of Fortune experience one would hope to have. Take this guy, who rival-bonded with Pat over a love of hockey.

• Pat was great with us on my taping day. He was cracking jokes during breaks with others. As for me personally, definitely had a fun time chatting hockey with me. We taped in 2016 and after round 1 he tells me, “I’m more of a Capitals fan but, can’t forgive the Sharks after what they did to my Kings in round 1.” I went sorry! 😂 When I won round 2, he was “is that (teal) shirt in honor of the Sharks? Yes of course.” As I’m headed to the bonus round he’s all “alright Mr. Teal, you did it… he’s going to the bonus round and I’ll go with him, even if he is a Sharks fan.”. . . As the credits rolled, we talked about how the Sharks lost to the penguins for a bit, then I turn to Vanna for a hug as you never get to meet a celebrity crush IRL, and as it ends Pat goes, “Will you two get a room??” 😂 He was fantastic and wish him well. - @puckguy14

Nobody could pull off a light-hearted ribbing like Par Sajak, even if some of that ribbing sounded a bit more curmudgeonly in later years. (He's 78 now.) I dare say his Chicago roots were showing when he called the player "Mr. Teal."

Meanwhile, another former contestant shared an interesting experience that TV viewers weren't fully privy to. The poster's comment started off saying immediately after declaring they wanted to solve the puzzle, they realized their initial guess wasn't going to be correct, which led to a moment of panic.

• I froze up and didn't say anything for like 5 seconds. Pat said "you can change your mind if you would like to spin." I did not realize that, exhaled, spun, and figured it out a letter or two later. This exchange was cut from the taping when it aired. Between puzzles I went up to him and said a very sincere "thank you" and he shook my hand and said it was no problem, that I was well within the rules to change my mind and spin. He said "if you had even said 'Buh...' and began saying the first syllable, you would have been forced to solve, but you didn't do that, you didn't make a sound. You were totally fine." Even if you know the rules well and read through them carefully before your taping (as I certainly did), you can definitely have a deer-in-headlights moment. Pat does great helping things along but not overstepping, a perfect host. - @Salzano14

Even though I'm sure I've seen a moment play out like that in the past, I don't know if I could say with confidence that I knew a contestant could change their mind after saying an intention to solve the puzzle. Definitely good to know, though. For what? I'm not sure.

Here's another compliment-filled reply that points out Pat's penchant for sharing good feedback with those who entered the game with skills intact.

• Pat was very nice. Before the bonus round, he said I was a really good player, that he was impressed with my gameplay, and he specifically called out one thing I did. Then, when we started filming the round, he said I was a really good player, that he was impressed with my gameplay, and he specifically called out one thing I did. Haha. But seriously, nice experience. He also made jokes between front-game rounds and was enjoyable. (You know, politics aside. We were there to play a game and make money!) - @micahwhite

Even if these personal stories don't represent the entirety of all past Wheel of Fortune players, it's just generally a great sign that they're all so positive, considering Reddit threads have a tendency to skew negative and hateful on a whim. This fan achieved the ultimate dream of having both Sajak and the late, great Alex Trebek as hosts.

• Kind, professional, extremely good at his job. He made a couple digs at me that were extremely lighthearted and fun, and I responded in kind, and we had a fun time with it. Both him and Vanna did the little fly-by "hey, just saying hi" in their street clothes in the early morning when everyone is taking their tour of the actual stage, which was really nice. Also had the privilege of appearing on Jeopardy! during Trebek's reign, and similarly, good times. Felt like a nice bucket list item to tick apparances with both of them as a contestant. - @disillusioned

Pat Sajak even got some love from a guy who wasn't ever a contestant, and just attended some of the tapings.

• I’m not a former contestant, but I did go to two separate tapings, about 10 years apart. At both, during commercials, he would interact with the audience and he was hilarious and friendly. - @BayouGuy25

Will Ryan Seacrest spark these kinds of kind reactions whenever players are reflecting after his own retirement? WIll Reddit still exist then? Will all our thoughts be logged by robots? Ahem.

Wheel of Fortune will soon be hitting its first big break on the 2025 TV schedule, as Ryan Seacrest's first official season comes to a close, also earning more positivity than negativity by way of online reactions, even if criticisms are definitely out there.

In the world of celebrity-dom, Vanna White exists on a unique pedestal, with extremely few others in entertainment on the same level. A fixture on the 2025 TV schedule, she’s been a game show icon for more than 40 years, she prefaced that run with a Troma movie, and was recognized in 2013 as a Guinness World Record holder for having clapped around 3.4 million times during the first 30 seasons. Vanna’s a living legend, but even she gets starstruck from time to time.

Having appeared on roughly 8,000 Wheel of Fortune episodes at this point, with some of those being the Celebrity spinoff (where Pat Sajak is still host for now), White is obviously no stranger to meeting and chatting up famous folks from all walks of life, so it perhaps makes sense that the superstars who left her most agog also boasted a variety of talents. Speaking with Closer Weekly, she shared this when addressing her favorite celeb encounters:

It's unclear where this excellent brush with greatness (for the both of them) would have taken place, as I don't believe Stevie Wonder was ever a proper contestant on Wheel of Fortune, and as far as I know, she's never sang on a duet with him. (She does have a Christmas album, however, which Ryan Seacrest used in a cute prank over the holidays.)

Vanna White shared another pair of celebs that left her awestruck, and both speak to her aw-shucks nature. As she put it:

One wouldn't even need to care about baseball in the slightest to know the importance of meeting Hall-of-Famer Mickey Mantle, one of the most celebrated athletes of all time.

Just as inspirational, albeit in other ways, is Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood fame, who remains a beacon of understanding and politeness even years after his death.

Having witnessed so many thousands of contestants come and go via the Wheel of Fortune stage, Vanna White is aware of just how nervous many people get in regards to appearing on TV, and she revealed that she regularly offers up mini-pep talks to incoming players as she gets to work. And that sounds exactly like the kind of thing someone starstruck by Mr. Rogers would do.

To have Vanna share the advice with me to “buy vowels,” I would lose my d_amn_d mind. Below, fans can see Pat and Vanna reminiscing about having Mr. Rogers on the show when it taped in his hometown of Pittsburgh.

One can only guess how many people have been starstruck by seeing Vanna White in person during a Wheel of Fortune taping, knowing that whatever gorgeous dress she’s wearing won’t ever be duplicated in another episode, even if she does wear the same shoes on occasion.

Wheel of Fortune airs weeknights in syndication.

Wheel of Fortune continues to air on the 2025 TV schedule after more than 40 decades, making it inarguably one of the best games shows of all time. The fact that it’s so iconic can’t possibly help contestants who are nervous about having such a large audience pass judgment on their puzzle-solving abilities, and Vanna White said there’s one thing she does every day to try to alleviate some of the players’ anxiety.

Vanna White’s been with the show nearly as long as it’s been on the air — she celebrated her 40th anniversary in 2022 — so even with the recent hosting change-up that saw Ryan Seacrest take over for Pat Sajak, I’m sure there’s not much that could shake her at this point. But the same can’t be said for the contestants, and she explained why a show that’s so familiar to so many people can still be so nerve-wracking. She told Collider:

The stakes are certainly higher when you’re standing in front of the big wheel than when you’re shouting phrases at your television screen. It’s not just the studio audience who will be see any potentially viral Wheel of Fortune moments. If you do happen to make an impressively bad guess, you’ve got to go home and wait for America to witness your faux pas when the episode airs.

Vanna White said she likes to pass on the wisdom she thinks is most helpful to contestants after all these years, and she makes it part of her daily routine. She said:

I bet it means the world for any nervous players to get advice from the iconic letter-turner, and if nothing else, they can at least get over being star-struck by her before taping begins. I love that “buy vowels” is the first advice Vanna White gives. I understand not wanting to spend the money, but it’s worth it to not risk a Bankrupt and get closer to solving the puzzle at the same time.

As for pretending to be in your living room, that’s probably easier said than done, but either way, most of Wheel of Fortune’s contestants seem to have a blast on the show, so she, Pat Sajak and now Ryan Seacrest must be doing something right.

Check your local listings to see when Wheel of Fortune plays in your area.

When Ryan Seacrest was revealed to be Pat Sajak’s replacement as the host of Wheel of Fortune — one of the best game shows of all time — one thing that made Vanna White feel better about losing her colleague of 40-plus years was Seacrest’s repeated insistence that he wasn’t trying to change anything Sajak had spent decades establishing. But it turns out there is one thing that he would like to adjust, and it’s very on-brand for Seacrest.

As Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White continue to appear in syndication on the 2025 TV schedule, fans have mostly accepted the new host since he made his Wheel of Fortune debut. The co-hosts recently took WPXI Channel 11 behind the scenes of the game show, discussing the fast-paced operation that allows them to film six episodes a day, back-to-back. They shared that there’s typically a 15-minute break in between games, but that’s where Seacrest sees an opportunity for change. He joked:

Coming from someone who holds multiple major hosting gigs simultaneously, it makes sense that Ryan Seacrest would understand the value of every minute and work to maximize his time. When he’s not hosting Wheel of Fortune, after all, he’s introducing the world to budding musicians on American Idol and counting down the hits on the American Top 40 radio show.

By cutting 6 minutes out of every break, Ryan Seacrest — and Vanna White and the entire cast and crew — could technically get back a half-hour of the day. However, I have to imagine the quicker changeover might not be as easy for Seacrest’s on-air partner.

While the host does have to change his wardrobe between tapings, I'm guessing that putting on a new suit is a slightly quicker process than Vanna White’s breaktime routine.

Vanna White’s iconic outfits have been an important part of Wheel of Fortune for decades, and while trying on 20 to 30 dresses before taping starts likely makes her changing process more efficient, I am exhausted just thinking about her having only 15 minutes to get a new gown on and make any necessary hair and makeup adjustments.

Would it even be physically possible to do it in 9 minutes? And that’s not even taking into consideration what all the crew has to do to prepare for the next taping.

Filming six episodes a day does sound like a lot, but only having to work 34 days a year for an eight-figure salary is likely motivation enough to keep things moving.

With Wheel of Fortune being a well-oiled machine 42 seasons in, I doubt any significant changes are coming anytime soon, regardless of how much Ryan Seacrest wants those 30 minutes of his day back.

Check your local listings to see when Wheel Of Fortune airs in your area, and you can catch Pat Sajak hosting one last season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune at 8 p.m. ET Wednesdays on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

It was nearly 11 months ago that Pat Sajak — one of the best game show hosts of all time — bid an emotional farewell to Wheel of Fortune after four decades as its leader. Now we’re about to get him back — albeit temporarily. Celebrity Wheel of Fortune is set to premiere on the 2025 TV schedule with a fifth season that was taped before Sajak’s retirement. As we prepare to see him share the stage with Vanna White again, the famed letter-turner recalled what new host Ryan Seacrest did to make her feel good about the transition.

As tough as it was for all the Wheel Watchers to see Pat Sajak retire as Wheel of Fortune’s host, think about how Vanna White felt losing her partner after so many years. White has said she knew it would be hard to work with someone else, but she said Ryan Seacrest made the changeover really easy, telling TV Insider:

I love that Ryan Seacrest was able to provide that reassurance for Vanna White, showing through his actions and his words that he understood the responsibility of following Pat Sajak and how much Wheel of Fortune means to fans, and he wasn’t trying to come in and blow up the sturdy foundation that had been laid for him.

He provided the same assurance to fans, saying that his version of Wheel of Fortune would be the same that Pat Sajak was leaving. With Sony choosing Pat Sajak’s replacement so far in advance — and picking someone with so much hosting experience — the powers that be really set the crew and audience alike up for a smooth transition, and when Ryan Seacrest made his debut in 2024, fans took to him surprisingly quickly. (He does have his haters though.)

It’s going to be interesting to see Pat Sajak back in his rightful place on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. Fans will be able to easily compare the two hosts’ styles, with Ryan Seacrest continuing to lead the daily syndicated show while Sajak shows up in primetime Wednesdays on ABC.

Viewers are also likely to feel quite nostalgic seeing the former host reunite with Vanna White (despite the fact that she still sees Pat Sajak outside of the show). I know Kelly Ripa isn’t the only one of us that used to think they were married! All in all, I think it’s going to be a special season that fans will cherish, even while returning to Ryan Seacrest’s regularly scheduled programming.

Don’t miss Pat Sajak’s big return (and for-real last hurrah) on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Season 5, which premieres at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, April 30, on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

Fans of Wheel of Fortune seem to be settling nicely into the Ryan Seacrest era of one of the best game shows of all time. While he’ll likely never have the same rapport with co-host Vanna White that Pat Sajak had for four decades, it’s been cute to hear about the little pranks Seacrest pulls on White and the nicknames they give each other. Staying on the show wasn’t an easy decision, though, the letter-turner revealed, opening up about her thought process.

Vanna White knows it’s been an adjustment — for both her and the Wheel watchers — to see someone new in the hosting position, and she has admitted that she considered retiring alongside Pat Sajak. As new episodes continue on the 2025 TV schedule, White spoke candidly with the Holding Kourt podcast about how she came to the decision to return, saying:

Although Vanna White previously said that the rumors that surrounded her contract negotiations were blown out of proportion, here she seemed to acknowledge that there’s always some drama, and maybe she and Sony really weren’t on the same page. However, not only did everything work out with her new contract, but with the new host. White continued:

It’s great to hear that Vanna White is happy with her decision to stick around, and that she approves of the job Pat Sajak’s replacement has been doing. Fans were quick to compliment Ryan Seacrest after his Wheel of Fortune debut, and I think having White still there was a big part of his being accepted so quickly.

Wheel of Fortune fans will have one more chance to see Pat Sajak — one of the best game show hosts ever — in action, when Celebrity Wheel of Fortune premieres at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, April 30. This season of famous faces spinning the big wheel taped last year before Sajak’s retirement, so be sure to tune in to see him and Vanna White together one last time.

As the new era of Wheel of Fortune continues with Ryan Seacrest as its freshman host for the 2025 TV schedule, Vanna White is still keeping the normalcy going. She signed a new contract in 2024 after a lengthy negotiation, but it’s still been an adjustment getting used to Seacrest. However, I just found out how many days a season she really puts in for her $10 million salary and my blood is now running thick with jealousy.

White has been co-hosting Wheel of Fortune since 1982, and has since become a not just a staple of the series along with former longtime host Pat Sajak, but a pop culture icon in general. After Sajak announced his retirement, it was unknown whether White would follow in his footsteps. Now that she’s sticking around, she opened up on the Elvis Duran Show on Z100 about what her work schedule really looks like, and it sounds like a dream. In her words:

Even though White still likely works behind the scenes for more than 34 days a year, including handling promos and/or preparing outfits, filming for just 34 days of the year really is pretty incredible for anyone viewed as a "TV star", especially considering how many episodes air each season.

Of course, filming six half-hour shows a day can be pretty draining, and those days are likely very long, since it's not as if the eps are filmed in clean-cut 30-minute chunks, and involve lots of stops and starts. All that said, however, filming for just over a month total sounds like a heavenly gig, and it’s even better knowing just how much White is making with her new contract.

Only filming for 34 days out of the year does actually make sense when it comes to Seacrest’s hosting abilities. The American Idol host received a bit of flak for making mistakes in his first year, as well as for not doing things exactly the way Sajak did. But he's a busy guy with a radio show and American Idol to host, among other things.

Even though he’s been filming six shows a day, the extended gap between production and airdates seemingly doesn't give him much time to look back and evaluate his performances to gauge what he could try to improve from show to show, which is probably why it’s taken a while to get used to him.

It's unknown if this has always been the case for Wheel of Fortune, though it's long been known that Jeopardy! films a full week of five episodes on Mondays. It might not sound easy to viewers, but it certainly seems to work. Even with all the interviews, planning, and other duties that don't happen on show-taping slots, 34 days with a massive salary would be pretty great, regardless of how long the shifts are.

Wheel of Fortune doesn’t have an end in sight, and for now, neither does Vanna White. It might help that she doesn’t film for too many days, even if those days are as long as ever. Since there are dozens and dozens of episodes of Wheel of Fortune that air weekly for weeks on end, it only makes sense that they film all of them pretty close together. And it sounds like White doesn’t seem to mind, at least not completely.

Not everyone gets to have the privilege (or otherwise) of working with the same person for four whole decades, but Vanna White shared that hallmark with her former Wheel of Fortune cohort Pat Sajak, who retired from hosting the syndicated show in 2024. Thankfully, she’s handled replacement host Ryan Seacrest’s arrival in with aplomb, but she knows some fans weren’t happy, and some still haven’t fully adjusted to a show without Sajak.

But he’s not entirely gone from either her life or from viewers’ televisions. (He’ll still be back for Celebrity WoF Season 3, assuming that lands on the 2025 TV schedule at some point.) She even addressed their most recent meet-up while appearing as a guest on the Elvis Duran Show. Here’s how she put it:

For the most part, Pat Sajak has stayed out of the spotlight in the time since he officially called it quits and delivered his emotional final episode address to viewers. But after seeing each other on a regular basis for so many years, with White confirming they are still filming 6 episodes a day for the current season's cycle, it would almost be weird and unsettling if White and Sajak went for an extended period without crossing paths. (Though maybe not, since the total amount of annual days filming is around 34.)

I also say all that as someone who has barely kept in touch with the vast majority of my former coworkers, and if there was a round where the category was "What Are You Doing?" and the finished puzzle was "Avoiding Communication With People I Used To See All The Time," I would probably solve it pretty quickly. But those kinships were definitely more short-lived than Vanna's Wheel of Fortune career.

It's unclear where exactly White touched base with Sajak again, but it's good to hear that he's looking well. Fans were quite worried about the longtime host when he had to have an emergency surgery in 2019, with a handful of other potentially worrisome moments cropping up in the years after.

Vanna White Answers A Question I've Always Wondered About

By and large, Vanna White has always come across as one of the nicest and least judgmental people on TV, not that she constantly has the opportunity to speak her mind while presenting on Wheel. But she further proved that distinction to be true when one of the radio show's co-hosts asked how she managed to avoid laughing at contestants when they make all-time horrible guesses. Without a lick of sardonic irony on her face, she answered with:

She's a better person than most of us, I think. There are probably some people out there who would laugh so hard at a wrong guess that they'd lose their job on the spot and have to be escorted out.

Wheel of Fortune airs weeknights in syndication, with Ryan Seacrest still waiting for somebody to win that $1 million prize.

Whenever game show contestants make wildly bad guesses or manage to lose out after coming so close to winning, it’s not so uncommon for viewers to play armchair quarterback while yelling any number of NSFW comments at the TV. Less common, however, are such exclamations from those heading up the game shows themselves. But that hasn’t stopped some Wheel of Fortune fans from thinking Vanna White dropped an F-bomb on the air.

Understandably, the moment in question didn’t take place during the usual in-studio portion of Wheel of Fortune’s episode filming. (I can only imagine if Vanna responded to a contestant’s request to buy an E with “Fuck no, you can’t.”) After the winning contestant walked away from the Bonus Round with a brand new vehicle, Seacrest cued up a pretaped clip from a ski trip to Park City the co-stars took together. Although calling it a “ski trip” implies both successfully traversed a slope or two, and that definitely wasn’t the case.

Seacrest facetiously claimed that White “panicked” after he took a wrong turn, and in the video we see, the radio host’s wrong turn happened almost immediately after he tried to confidently push himself forward. And it’s indeed how White reacts that plays into viewers’ hearing more mature language than what game shows usually offer up. Here’s the exchange:

• RYAN: All right, thanks for watching from this winter wonderland. See you next time on Wheel of Fortune!
• VANNA: Bye! Oooh! [QUESTIONABLE]
• RYAN [now laid out facefirst in the snow]: Too big of a slope for me.
• VANNA: I'm gonna go help Ryan. Bye-bye!

It's a goofy bit, though I genuinely bought into the notion that Vanna White was not comfortable with the idea of zipping around snowy mountains with skis attached. I can also buy into the belief that Vanna would be the most fashionable person standing on any mountain at any given time, but that's beside the point.

Soon after the episode aired, one fan took to Reddit to see if they were alone in assuming that Vanna exclaimed "Fuck!" after seeing Seacrest tumble. As the OP wrote in the comments of the post:

To that Redditor's credit, the audio from the recorded video in the post sounds tinny and sharp enough that it does actually sound like an F-bomb, even if it wasn't muttered under her breath as it probably would have been had she accidentally cursed on TV.

But it almost definitely was not "fuck" that spewed forth from the co-host's mouth. When rewatching the episode with my YouTube TV subscription, I put the closed captions on, and it confirmed my belief that all she said there was "Look!" since the camera goes to Seacrest right after she says it.

And I think we can all agree on how unlikely it is that an episode taped and edited far in advance of airing would have left an F-bomb in there untouched. I can't even imagine a world where a bleeped-out version of that moment would air, and can only assume it would have been re-recorded if Vanna did indeed let one slip.

One can assume that Vanna helped Seacrest up, and without cursing him out, since we already know how kind and giving she’s been to him during his freshman year as Wheel of Fortune host. (And he still chose to amusingly prank her for Christmas.) She also thought it would be a fun idea to ask fans to give him a nickname, though that may have gone slightly more askew than she expected.

That Other Time Ryan Seacrest Fell Down Recently

Snowy weather doesn't need to enter into the picture for Ryan Seacrest to take a random tumble in front of Wheel of Fortune viewers. In the same week that his ski stumble happened, the esteemed host also lost his footing on the set itself thanks to an overly joyous contestant.

After the winner hugged and grabbed onto Seacrest in the midst of leaping up and down, he let go at just the wrong moment, sending the American Idol emcee down for a quick count. Hopefully he'll manage to stay upright for the remainder of episodes airing this week.

The start of the 2025 TV schedule marks the first full year of Ryan Seacrest serving as the host of Wheel of Fortune, following his high-rated first few weeks starting back in September 2024. He seems well past any early-bird worries by this point, with dozens of episodes under his belt, and it sounds like he’s also grown quite comfortable working alongside game show icon Vanna White. It appears she’s quite fond of him as well, as evidenced by her practical gift-giving.

Despite having pulled a musical Christmas prank on White that resulted in her unwittingly listening to her own holiday album during a work meeting — she did eventually catch on, of course — Seacrest shared a sweet story about his co-host’s benevolent nature that also absolutely sounds like something a mom would do. Speaking with People, the American Idol frontman said:

Though it's not exactly the most luxurious present to receive as a Hollywood mainstay, Vanna White’s gift to Ryan Seacrest is both extremely sweet and indicative of how much she cares. While the initial context of Seacrest sharing concern for how coffee affects his teeth is not entirely clear, it’s presumed he didn’t sent out a studio-wide memo begging for help, and that it was more conversational than anything, which makes White seem all the more benevolent for her next-day surprise.

It’s also something of a mom-like offering in the way that presents from parents often go hard on practicality over style or pizzazz. Moms are the ones who usually wrap up socks and underwear for Christmas because they know their kids have holes in everything. It’s a similar mindset that factors into buying someone teeth-whitening strips, since the gift itself points to a perceived problem the recipient has.

Of course, that situation might not have come across in the same way had Vanna White just shown up with whitening strips for Ryan Seacrest’s teeth out of the blue without him ever having said anything about the effect that black coffee has. Still helpful, surely, but perhaps not so inherently nice an implication.

Since his earliest days on the set of Wheel of Fortune, Seacrest has only shared positivity about working with White, whose hands and smiles have been lighting up TVs since the early 1980s. And that was no different in this particular interview, with this statement being a perfect summation:

Fans will soon see Vanna White paired back up with former host Pat Sajak for the fifth season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, which he was already locked in for outside of his retirement news. It's been reported that filming the celebrity-fueled season, which released a holiday episode in early December, sparked Pat Sajak’s intention to return as host in some capacity, but we'll have to wait to learn whether or not there's any value to those rumors.

Wheel of Fortune fans have had to get used to Ryan Seacrest hosting after Pat Sajak retired, but it seems like he's settled into the new gig and thriving. On top of bantering with contestants, his relationship with Vanna White seems to be doing pretty well too, even if initial reports stated that there was trouble on set. Now, the American Idol host is showing off their fun dynamic in a festive way by playing White’s Christmas album during a meeting, and it took her a bit to even notice.

Seacrest shared a video on Instagram of him playing White’s 1996 Christmas album, Santa’s Last Ride “until she notices.” While she obviously knew he was playing Christmas music and was on board with him getting in the spirit, noting it takes her back to her childhood, she was oblivious to what kind of Christmas music he was playing. After Seacrest said it was “nostalgic,” White was able to really take in the tunes as she was sitting on the couch, and that’s when it hit her that she's been pranked, and her reaction is priceless:

White was in complete shock as Seacrest kept saying he listens to the album “every year,” later turning up the volume and taking in every second. Considering it’s been close to 30 years since Santa’s Last Ride was released, it is fun to see the letter-turner react to hearing it. Plus, the fact that it took a little bit for her to even recognize that it was her own music makes it even better. Also, it's fun to see just how well White and Seacrest are getting along.

Santa’s Last Ride is White’s first and only album, with all 14 tracks written by late British composer Leslie Bricusse. Seacrest playing the album is honestly pretty impressive, as it’s only available on physical CD and not digital or streaming. So it’s quite possible he either really has listened to it every year on CD or he managed to find a copy, and either way, the entire situation is gold.

Vanna White’s album is not the only way that Wheel of Fortune has been celebrating the holidays. The long-running game show has been doing Disney Secret Santa Holiday Giveaway from December 9 through December 20, with Mickey, Minnie, and their friends joining in the holiday fun. Unfortunately, it was a cruel, cruel winter for one contestant who missed a big win after coming up with the Bonus Round answer immediately after the buzzer. While she did still take home almost $31,000, she missed out on an additional $40,000, making her Christmas not so merry after all. However, the money she did win plus the experience of interacting with White and Seacrest must have been festive and fun!

Now, as Wheel of Fortune prepares for its new episodes on the 2025 TV schedule, fans can try to hunt down Vanna White's Christmas album, but that might be hard to find. However, simply having fun watching the game show and this silly video of her and Seacrest brings me all the hilarious holiday cheer I need.

Wheel of Fortune — one of the best game shows of all time — is firmly in its Ryan Seacrest era, with the host taking over for Pat Sajak when the current season premiered on the 2024 TV schedule. Wheel Watchers were overall complimentary of Seacrest in his new role, and ratings indicated the takeover was a success. Now, a couple of months into Ryan’s reign, we’ve reached the point where fans are recommending nicknames for Seacrest, and you guys, some of these are wild.

The nickname thing apparently started when Ryan Seacrest called his beloved co-host Vanna White “V-Dubs,” and she thought it was only fair for him to have a nickname as well. The longtime letter-turner took to social media, asking fans for their suggestions, which you can see below on Instagram:

The agreed-upon favorite was “Ryan-stone Cowboy” — despite it being spelled in the video like the Glen Campbell song, it’s clear the hosts are working Seacrest’s name into it — and of the three options given, that was probably the best.

Fans didn’t stop there, though, with many adding their own suggestions in the comments section of the post. The Ryan-stone Cowboy might want to hold onto his bejeweled hat for these, because there are some real groaners ahead:

• “High-Flyin’ Ryan” – dwayneisgrig
• Wheel of FortuRyan – jbentup
• Rockin’ Ryan would be a better nickname, since he’s rocking the host of Wheel and American Idol and New Years Rockin Eve – bigman.l96
• Gamma Ray Ryan (he seems to have tons of energy) – mrgabrielconrad
• I just call him HOT STUFF. – crystal.unscripted

Let’s just say some of those are better than others, and HR might have something to say about that last one if Vanna White really did just start calling the new host “hot stuff.”

From the clip it looks like Ryan Seacrest is being a good sport about the nickname suggestions, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who have been watching him work. The host was quite gracious about one contestant’s impressively bad guess, and it was pretty funny to watch how he handled one particularly bizarre situation (one that had fans calling for a Wheel of Fortune rule change).

Will those good graces continue when he reads what other nicknames his viewers have come up with? More comments included:

• Ry-Guy, or Ry-Ry, or Ryzzle. Ryzzle could be a combination for Ryan and Dazzle. – beverly.c.sanders.3
• American Rydol – nickcpickles
• Seacrest Express – kaileyyhale
• How 'bout Wheelin' Dealin' Ryan 🤵🏼💰🎉 – callmemisterj
• Sea-money! – kbsquared_1129
• He’ll always be ryry to me – ninergrl6

Some wild ideas, to be sure. It’ll be interesting to see if Vanna White keeps up her search for something fun to call her colleague, and I would particularly love to see our “Ryan-stone Cowboy” possibly getting into it by incorporating some rhinestones into his wardrobe. Just something for “American Rydol” to think about.

Check your local listings to see when to catch R-Sea Cola as the host of Wheel of Fortune in your area.

Election Day is approaching, and as we all prepare to do our American duty by casting our ballot, many are choosing to just get it out of the way by voting early. That’s the road Selena Gomez took, at least, and I’m willing to bet she was one of the best-dressed people to drop their envelope into the ballot box. I couldn’t ignore the strong Vanna White vibes, as the actress sported a sparkly red dress to complete her task.

Selena Gomez was a whole mood when she took a detour on her way to an event for Wizards Beyond Waverly Place — which premiered October 29 on the 2024 TV schedule — to drop off her ballot. Forget the fact that she was glammed up for the premiere of the spinoff of her beloved 2000s show, Gomez jogged down the sidewalk in her red pumps and cheerfully cast her vote. She documented the scene on TikTok, too, so check it out:

I love that Selena Gomez appeared to wave to the people running the nearby food truck, and I wish so badly that I could know what they were thinking when they saw the actress and pop star running to the polls in full formalwear.

I’m not sure Vanna White has ever had to do much running in the gorgeous Wheel of Fortune gowns we see her in every weeknight, but Selena Gomez was still giving vibes of the iconic game show co-host, especially when she proudly displayed the “I Voted” sticker on her handbag.

Following the brief layover to perform her patriotic duties, Selena Gomez continued her trek to the premiere event for the spinoff Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, which was held October 28 at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. While the crowd there wasn’t the first to see her to-die-for crimson gown — shout out again to the food truck employees — Gomez still dropped jaws in the custom Rodarte dress (per Harper's Bazaar).

Crimson sequins covered the strapless gown, which featured a structured 3D neckline and flared at the hips. More sequins poured down the asymmetrical skirt, which fell below the knee and featured a slit up to the actress’ left thigh. Selena Gomez wore her shoulder-length hair straight and went without jewelry, save for the multiple rings on her fingers (but, alas, no engagement ring from boyfriend Benny Blanco). The pumps that she took a jog in earlier that day were ruby red also, with a pointed toe.

At the event, Selena Gomez reunited with her Wizards at Waverly Place co-star David Henrie. Both she and her on-screen brother serve as executive producers of the spinoff, with Henrie also reprising his character as a series regular. Gomez will reportedly guest star in multiple episodes. Two episodes a week will air on the Disney Channel at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesdays, but those who have a Disney+ subscription can stream the first eight episodes now.

Selena Gomez has been thrilled about the reboot, and I have to imagine her excitement for the premiere played into her cheerful voting video. Also, getting all dressed up can make the most mundane of chores more fun sometimes, and I would absolutely love to see more sparkly ensembles come Election Day. Gomez has thrown down the gauntlet, Vanna White. What will you be wearing to the polls?

More than a year has passed since Ryan Seacrest was named replacement host on Wheel of Fortune following Pat Sajak’s retirement, and he did indeed find the time in his schedule to take over for its Fall TV premiere. In the year ahead of his official debut, some fans had less than positive attitudes about the swap for one reason or another, but the first week of episodes went off without a hitch, save for all the complaints about the new set.

That’s underselling it, actually. Wheel of Fortune’s first week back for Season 42 earned some legitimately stellar ratings for the all-time great game show, which had to have been a big boost of positivity for Seacrest. (Who was readily confident about taking over very early on, to be fair.) Just how well did it do?

Specifically, according to Nielsen (via Deadline), Wheel of Fortune’s first ep with Seacrest brought in a wildly impressive audience of 9.63 million viewers. That’s the biggest audience of any season premiere going back nine years to the 2015 starter, and it absolutely trounced the Season 41 opener, whose viewership topped out at 5.68 million. It also rose far above the 18-49 demographic, beating out last year’s numbers by 63% (0.86 rating to 0.52 rating).

That large total didn’t hold up throughout the week, which is only natural, but the syndicated staple still celebrated much success. The first week of episodes ended with an overall average of 8.31 million viewers, as the four episodes that were telecast after the premiere averaged just under 7 million viewers. Such numbers cemented it as the best week of new WoF eps in the past five years. Those stats also made Wheel the #1 show in all of syndication for the week.

In direct comparison to the 2023 premiere week numbers, its average viewership marked a 21 percent increase, from 6.87 million to 8.31 million. Additionally, it enjoyed 10%+ lifts for all ratings for the key demographics.

It's unclear if the second and third week will see the viewership numbers dip a little more to settle into what they'll likely be throughout the season. But if the show features more attempts for million-dollar prizes like this, then the "s_y is the l_m_t."

To be fair to anybody out there who holds Pat Sajak in high esteem far above Ryan Seacrest, the former host's final syndicated episode drew in a bonkers 11.03 million viewers. So if he ever decides to come back and tag-team an episode with Seacrest, that could possibly break linear TV.

Pat Sajak will actually be back to hosting duties soon for ABC's Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, whose season was filmed ahead of his exit from nightly eps.

Wheel of Fortune is going through some changes after its 42nd season premiered on the 2024 TV schedule. Of course, Ryan Seacrest has succeeded one of the best game show hosts of all time — Pat Sajak — as the face of the franchise, and the beloved show debuted a new set that many Wheel Watchers had strong opinions about. As scary as change can be for anyone, something even creepier happened during one recent episode, when an apparent glitch caused Vanna White’s reflection to start acting independently of the co-host.

Spooky season is definitely upon us as we get closer and closer to Halloween, but even more terrifying than the time Pat Sajak almost conjured the Candyman was what happened to Vanna White’s reflection during the September 20 episode of Wheel of Fortune. As you can see in the screengrab below, the game was proceeding as usual, with contestants working on a “Living Things” puzzle:

The camera then cut back and forth from the players to the board, as per usual, but just a few frames later, this terrifying thing happened:

As you can see, the puzzle remained the same, but the category has changed to “Same Letter.” What makes it a “glitch in the matrix,” as one Reddit user put it, was that at the very bottom of the screen, Vanna White’s reflection can be seen walking across the stage as the letter-turner herself stood perfectly still.

What’s more, her actual reflection can be seen too. How many of you are there, Vanna?! I’ve honestly never paid much attention to the reflection underneath the board, but now I definitely will. It’s like a scene from a horror movie, where you just know the reflection in the mirror is about to go out of sync with its object. Is this why Vanna White is so eternally youthful — because she’s A.I.?!

OK, obviously I’m not trying to start any rumors about the beloved co-host and whether or not she’s actually a robot with alter-egos breaking free to overthrow the planet one game show at a time. I just really don’t understand how it was only the reflection that was off. Does this mean that there’s not actually a reflection there and that the whole bottom of the screen where the category is shown is digitally added in post production? I would have thought they just superimposed the category name onto the frame with no other editing needed. Silly me, I guess.

I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation for Vanna White’s reflection taking on a mind of its own, but that sure didn’t stop me from getting the heebie-jeebies when I saw this happen (and then every time that I rewound to watch it again).

I know there are a lot of upcoming horror movies to celebrate the approach of Halloween, but I will admit that I was not expecting to experience any such frights on Wheel of Fortune. I guess that’s what makes it one of the best game shows ever. And now, definitely one of the creepiest as well.

Check your local listings to see when the Wheel spins in your area if you want to see if there are more oddities to come this spooky season.

When most people take on a new job, they don’t need to worry about millions of people’s eyeballs watching from the first day onward, but such is life for new Wheel of Fortune host Ryan Seacrest, who is taking over for the retired icon Pat Sajak when the new season hits the upcoming Fall TV schedule. It’s been a long time coming, but his debut is fast approaching, and he’s opened up about his excitement and the slice of wisdom he immediately received from Sajak and Vanna White.

Seacrest appeared on Good Morning America opposite White, who’d previously talked about being nervous to have a new co-host after 40+ years, and addressed that even though he’s got the moves down and has started filming, the sense of glee has yet to fade. In his words:

To be sure, Ryan Seacrest has has huge hosting gigs throughout his career, with American Idol and the yearly New Year’s Rockin’ Eve special being two of the most prominent. Now, however, he’ll somehow become cemented as even more of a household name at the front of one of the best game shows of all time.

And for all the glitz and glory that comes along with such a lauded TV position, it’s kind of surprising that the first pleasure Pat Sajak talked about was meeting and potentially changing the lives of a handful of new people on a daily basis. Not technically 100% true, since Wheel of Fortune is like most game shows in that a week’s worth of episodes are filmed in a single day, but the sentiment still tracks.

For a lot of those contestants, appearing on the show will be a lifelong memory they’ll never stop talking about, so it’s actually quite sweet to hear that particular slice of joy being discussed right from the jump. Now, can I also picture Sajak and White then telling Seacrest about all the on-set secrets and life-hacks they’ve picked up over the years? Absolutely. But first and foremost, it’s about the wheel-watching contestants.

Ryan Seacrest said he'd been prepping for months for his Wheel gig, telling this to ABC News' Ginger Zee:

Will we ever get to a point when Vanna White steps down from her longtime role so that the show’s former newest recruit Maggie Sajak can take over turning the letters, so to speak? That’s what the rumor mill has spread around as of late, and while it could certainly come true in the near to distant future, Vanna’s not going anywhere just yet, so expect to be jealous over some gorgeous one-time dresses and looks for at least a couple more seasons.

Wheel of Fortune Season 42 will finally arrive in syndication on Monday, September 9, so be sure to check your local listings to see where it’s playing in your area. And don’t forget about Pat Sajak’s actual swan song hosting Celebrity Wheel of Fortune kicks off on Monday, October 7, at 8:00 p.m.

Following Pat Sajak’s retirement, Wheel of Fortune’s new era will be starting soon. That new era begins when Ryan Seacrest takes over. For months now, Seacrest and co-star Vanna White have been hard at work on the new season. (Yes, they even did an adorable photoshoot with a puppy.) After rumors swirled there were problems between her and Seacrest, White is opening up about one big reason she was actually nervous to have him join Wheel of Fortune.

Not long after Sajak announced his retirement, fans were told Seacrest would be taking his place, adding yet another project to his lengthy and ever-growing resumé. Having someone new hosting the long-running game show is not an easy task, though, even with all of the previous and current hosting duties that Seacrest has under his belt.

In fact, White told CBS Sunday Mornings how it's been on set as they've learned to work together, also admitting she was initially nervous about having the American Idol host by her side.

White and Sajak worked together literally for decades on Wheel of Fortune. For a long time, it would have been hard to even imagine the show without either of them because they are Wheel of Fortune. Even though White has known Seacrest for quite some time, it makes sense that she was still nervous and worried to work with someone else other than Sajak on the series.

Luckily, she and Seacrest had great chemistry, though it still couldn’t have been easy to find that natural flow with a new host.

The new season of Wheel of Fortune got a pretty early start on promos, as Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest started filming together in February, (likely) some time before filming on the season even started. Now they’ve had some more time together, it seems to be working out OK, regardless of nerves or any rumors we've heard. Still feelings about the change could linger.

Speaking of rumors, should fans should fans worry about White also leaving? People have been all over Maggie Sajak potentially taking her place, and, if she were to quit, it’s not hard to see why. Pat Sajak’s daughter has been a big part of Wheel of Fortune in recent years, serving as the show’s on-air social media correspondent. She’s also filled in for White on more than a few occasions, so fans are already on board for her to be White’s successor if that were to ever happen. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

In the meantime, fans can look forward to seeing how the new duo does when new episodes air. Sure, he may not have the same vibe as one of the best game show hosts, but at least he has a great co-host by his side. It all starts on September 9 on the 2024 TV schedule.

Maggie Sajak has been running around the Wheel of Fortune set pretty much since birth, thanks to her father Pat Sajak serving as its host — one of the best game show hosts in history, at that — for more than 40 years. As an adult she’s even taken a job there, serving as Wheel’s social correspondent. Could there be a bigger, more prominent role for her there in the future? Rumors have circulated for years that the 29-year-old might one day succeed Vanna White as co-host and resident letter-turner, and I can absolutely see why people think that.

The speculation over Maggie Sajak eventually taking over for Vanna White certainly hasn’t stopped since Pat Sajak officially took his leave from one of the best game shows of all time. In fact, if anything, the murmurings have only gotten stronger, thanks in part to Maggie and Vanna’s social media activity. Take this Instagram post:

Wheel of Fortune is really playing up the relationship between Maggie Sajak and Vanna White, including their physical similarities. I mean, geez, Vanna looks like she could be Maggie’s sister. Is Wheel hinting toward its future, or is it simply catering to an audience that already misses Pat Sajak after getting a first look at Ryan Seacrest as the new host? Whatever the motivations are in keeping the Sajak name prominently attached to Wheel of Fortune, it’s working, because Maggie’s Instagram posts are full of comments like:

• Are you going to take Vanna space when she retires? You would make a perfect one – littlemisss71
• Do it Vanna, pass the letter turning torch to Maggie cause Ryan is going to be a Royal Pain in Your Backside.😊😊😊 love ya and if you decide to do what Pat did I will forever ♥️ miss you.😊😊😊 – christopho621
• Please start turning those letters we need to see u daily on TV let’s go – lassaad0607
• I hope you're the next letter revealer, Maggie! – chrisriouxartist
• Hey Maggie, I think you’re very pretty and would be a perfect replacement for Vanna when she steps off the show. Hope your dad is doing well. – merrickthedesignerandfoodie

Some fans have even thought that Wheel of Fortune dropped a hint of the eventual takeover, when Pat Sajak’s daughter and Vanna White exchanged identical “Hi Barbie!” greetings on set. Perhaps the biggest sign that Maggie Sajak could be in line for the letter-turning job is the fact that she’s filled in for White several times before, including when the co-host competed on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune against then-Jeopardy! co-hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik.

Vanna White has also voiced her support of the theoreticaly move, saying that since Maggie Sajak has been around the set her whole life, she’d make “a good replacement.”

Only time will tell what the future holds for Vanna White’s job after she steps away, but I’ll just say that I find the Maggie Sajak rumors slightly more believable than the Kim Kardashian Wheel of Fortune rumors.

Be sure to tune in for Wheel of Fortune’s Season 42 premiere on Monday, September 9. Check your local listings for time and channel.

Mark your calendars, Wheel watchers, because according to the 2024 TV schedule, September 9 is the day we will get to see Ryan Seacrest take over as the host of one of the greatest game shows of all time. With rumors circulating for the past couple of months about possible trouble on set between Seacrest and Vanna White, Wheel of Fortune gave us a first-hand look at what to expect from the new leading duo in a video from their recent photo shoot — which was adorably crashed by a scene-stealing dog.

Ryan Seacrest has promised he won’t change anything about how the game is played as he becomes the first new host of Wheel of Fortune in over 40 years. However, in the video shared to the official Instagram page, it looks like he’s bringing the same silly energy we’ve seen on Live with Kelly & Ryan and his other big hosting gigs. Check out the clips and images from their fun photoshoot:

OK, I don’t know whose idea it was to bring the loveable creature to set, but I can’t imagine anything that would boost the cast and crew’s spirits quicker after what looked like a pretty intense day of hair, makeup and costume changes. The photo crasher appears to be Ryan Seacrest’s pup Georgia, who he first introduced to the world 10 years ago, and the black Lab looked like she was having a pretty good time in front of the camera, especially when her dad broke out the tennis ball.

As for what we can expect when Wheel of Fortune’s 42nd season premieres in a couple of weeks, Ryan Seacrest certainly does look enthusiastic about filling Pat Sajak’s shoes. There was no sign of tension between him and Vanna White, which isn’t really a surprise since some sources have claimed there’s “absolutely no truth” to the rumors that they don’t see eye to eye. (Honestly, even if they don’t like each other, they’re both so professional that I bet we’d never know it.)

In the video, Ryan Seacrest kept himself entertained by naming his favorite genres of music and dancing like the California Raisins (shout-out to the ‘80s!). Vanna White, for her part, looked as gorgeous as ever in a sampling of her iconic dresses. Wheel of Fortune fans have had strong but mixed opinions about Ryan Seacrest’s takeover, but it’s likely a relief to everyone that the famed letter-turner was able to renegotiate her contract for at least a couple of more seasons.

The announcement that Ryan Seacrest would replace one of the best game show hosts in history on Wheel of Fortune came shortly after Pat Sajak announced that he would retire following Season 41. While Sajak issued an emotional goodbye on the season finale, it turns out we haven’t seen the last of him. A fifth season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune was shot ahead of his last syndicated episode, with that series returning on ABC’s fall schedule in October.

With Jeopardy! fans having now grown fully accustomed to seeing Ken Jennings front and center for every episode, it’ll soon be time for another all-time great game show to bring in a new host, as Ryan Seacrest will take over Wheel of Fortune for Season 42. The season’s earliest episodes started taping ahead of the fall TV schedule, and it appears producers are showing him the kind of love that can only happen on Wheel, involving the signature letter lineup “RSTLNE.”

Anyone who’s ever watched an episode of Wheel of Fortune all the way through can easily recite the Bonus Round puzzle’s six gimme letters for contestants to build upon. It just so happens those first two letters match up with Ryan Seacrest’s initials, which allowed for a fun way to honor the incoming host with some wordplay. Check out the Instagram video of the American Idol presenter alongside his newest co-star, Vanna White.

Obviously the mini-version of the show’s iconic wheel is cute, and I’m now inspired to think that it would make for a fantastic dust cover for a record player. But even though Wheel of Fortune began when vinyls were still going strong as a medium, this isn’t about that. It’s about a new personality stepping in to record a new era…er…to launch a new era.

And what better way to give Seacrest his _L_ _ERS than by giving the Bonus Round’s letters a new meaning, albeit one whose meaning will necessarily be undone whenever he actually does launch the new era. Maybe then they could change it to “Ryan Seacrest Terrifically Leads New Era” or “...Totally Loves New Era” or something equally befitting. He should also say that full phrasing each time, rather than just the letters, for chaos’ sake.

Some fans have been critical about Seacrest replacing Pat Sajak in the months since he was announced, and that sentiment is present among the comments on the Instagram post, but by and large, the responses to the acronym video were positive and pumped.

• If Ken Jennings can do it on Jeopardy, Ryan has this in the bag. I think Ken is terrific on Jeopardy. Ryan will be equally terrific hosting Wheel. 😍 - @throopnyc
• This needs to be in the WoF store! - @thebowtieteacher_
• Very exciting!!! *sings in soprano* - @emilydong_
• Have watched two weeks worth of shows in the studio audience. America is going to love you. The show is going to be revitalized with you and team @officialvannawhite - @dustin.james87
• Ryan will just be his own lovable self and do a great job on Wheel! No one can fill Pat Sajak’s legendary shoes, but there’s no need to!! Each are legends in their own ways!! But Ryan will do Pat proud, just like he did Dick Clark proud!!❤️🙌 - @lydias_threadz
• Can't wait Ryan. You will find a way to make this show your own. Congratulations - @reidjodey

Anybody else out there feel like Vanna White got bamboozled once again here, without an acronym of her own? I'm kidding (mostly), but here's hoping she continues to get her dues when the new season arrives, and it isn't just one big Seacrest celebration for the whole year.

Pat Sajak will indeed be back on TV in the near-ish future for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune in primetime, but it’ll be all Ryan from here on out in the syndicated version, and presumably in future Celebrity-driven seasons.

The timing of TV tapings can often be a weird thing to reckon with when it comes to avoiding big plot spoilers, or in the case of some reality TV shows, avoiding real-life updates that hint at couple break-ups, contestant eliminations and more. In the case of Wheel of Fortune and Pat Sajak, the filming and airing schedule for the flagship series means that fans of the all-time great game show who already accepted the host’s retirement announced in 2023, will be watching him back in that familiar role for a new season of Celebrity Family Feud.

Bizarrely enough, Pat Sajak’s final Wheel of Fortune episode (which drew some pretty major ratings) will no longer serve as his actual last episode, at least not to TV viewers. ABC announced its 2024 Fall TV lineup, which not only cemented a premiere date for the fifth season of Wheel’s star-infused spinoff, but also confirmed that Sajak’s swan song is still yet to come, even if it was filmed before his official farewell message to fans. Gotta love TV magic, or whatever this would be called.

Viewers can look forward to seeing Sajak stepping it up one last time when Celebrity Wheel of Fortune returns in October, with ABC calling it his “final spin.” But will that truly be the end, or will we then learn about a previously unannounced animated WoF spinoff that Sajak will return for anew? Probably not, since an animated game show is a terrible idea, but still.

At this point, it’s still unclear when exactly Sajak’s high-profile replacement, TV hosting stalwart Ryan Seacrest, will be taking over. That said, we do know Season 42 is set to premiere this fall, and we do know that some viewers can’t wait for it, while others will be perfectly happy to have a Seacrest-fronted Wheel of Fortune miss them on all counts. The recent videos promoting the new episodes have been tied largely to Seacrest and Vanna White being goofy, without an overarching sense of how he’ll be during gameplay itself.

Check out one of the Sajak-free videos below for an idea of what to expect.

For any game show fans wondering, we won’t be able to enjoy the usual nightly lineup of Wheel and Jeopardy! together, at least not outside of the syndicated versions. Celebrity Jeopardy! won’t be returning to ABC until the network’s midseason schedule, where it will likely be paired up with the final season of The Conners.

Celebrity Wheel of Fortune will kick off its fifth season on ABC on Monday, October 7, at 8:00 p.m., with episodes available to stream the next day with a Hulu subscription. Head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows are on the way soon.

No matter how many fashion shows, red carpet arrivals and similar TV events air each year, Wheel of Fortune’s Vanna White will still likely emerge as the most stylish celeb on the small screen. You just can’t beat the law of averages, and the former Miss Georgia is famous for having now donned over 8,000 different dresses and other outfits (that she handpicks) across 41 seasons so far.

Reflecting on a career of iconic looks Ahead of her first season of Wheel with Ryan Seacrest and without longtime host Pat Sajak, who bid farewell via retirement in June, White reflected on a career full of iconic looks and shared some fun wardrobe details that fans may not know, such as the one part of the epic clothing assortment that she purposefully reuses. As she put it to TV Insider:

Vanna White did not shy away from the fact that her dressing room houses row after row of her preferred shoe choices, and apparently has something for just about any occasion, mood, or style. There’s something to be said about finding shoes that agree with you and sticking with them, especially in the case of high heels for TV. Even if episode tapings aren’t extremely lengthy, nobody wants to be uncomfortable in front of millions of people for any amount of time.

One can only hope that White rocks out some super-comfy slippers whenever she’s not having to don heels for the show. Rows and rows of slippers!

While she is known for wearing a different dress each and every episode, and started opting for more comfortable stretchy dresses over the years, fans shouldn’t be fooled into thinking she owns them all. Rather, she and her team go through upwards of 40 dresses to land on around a dozen final choices that are either held to be worn or are then further pared down. The main stipulation at this point is that she needs to be able to stretch and reach the top letters, so no straps that block her arms at all.

Of course, perfection is nearly impossible to pull off, and across four decades of Wheel of Fortune, there was reportedly only a single, solitary instance where Vanna White came out in a dress that she’d already worn before. And that mistake was attributed to her stylist, who was too late in realizing the fashion error. (Well not really an error, since I’m sure the look was gold.)

Will Ryan Seacrest try and show up his new co-star (who finally landed her big raise) whenever he arrives as Wheel of Fortune’s new host in September? Only t_m_ will tell. While waiting, head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule to see what else is on the way soon.

Now that Pat Sajak has officially retired from Wheel of Fortune, the long-running game show is set to enter a new era. Part of that will see Ryan Seacrest stepping in to take the reins as host. All the while, after long negotiations following Sajak’s initial announcement, Vanna White will be returning to the series after successfully landing a new Wheel contract. However, things may not be so smooth with Seacrest.

What's Allegedly Happening On Set Between Vanna White And Ryan Seacrest?

Not long after Pat Sajak’s retirement announcement, it was revealed that Ryan Seacrest would take over for him. Fans shared their thoughts on Seacrest replacing Sajak, and they weren't too thrilled with the prospect. Now, insiders are claiming that Vanna White allegedly hasn’t been pleased with the American Idol host's approach to the work thus far. A source spoke to RadarOnline about the supposed situation, saying:

While Ryan Seacrest is obviously is no stranger to hosting gigs, Wheel of Fortune is a different kind of bast. Not only is he on a show that’s been on the air since 1975 and  beloved by so many, but he now has to work with a co-host who's been with the program for decades and has her own professional process. Vanna White and her longtime co-host had natural chemistry. And, per this source, the creatives behind the show are afraid that viewers won't see a spark between Seacrest and White:

That being said, even though the new season hasn’t even aired yet, producers allegedly aren't taking the possibility of firing the new off the table just yet. He has a multi-year contract, but “the brass” would purportedly let him go before getting rid of Vanna White. The insider asserts that that's because the producers “know fans tune in to see Vanna even more than the host!” It's also noted that the creative team have also made other alterations to accommodate the former Live with Kelly and Ryan host like adjusting the sets due to the new host's height. If all of this is true, it would mark yet another hurdle for White to contend with after her contract negotiations.

Vanna White Received A Raise After Drama Surrounding Her Contract

After Pat Sajak was announced to retire, many were wondering where his on-air partner stood as the other face of Wheel of Fortune. The 67-year-old letter turner quickly lawyered up in order to negotiate a new contract. It was reported that she and Sony couldn't agree, as she wanted more than double her then-current salary. It was then later revealed she allegedly wanted a salary comparable to Sajak’s, which was a lot more than hers. 

Eventually, after a long back and forth that took a few months, Vanna White finally landed a new contract that included a “substantial pay increase.” It was also previously reported that she was upset that producers didn’t give her a chance to take over for Mr. Sajak. As for her own potential successor, fans have had Maggie Sajak, Pat's daughter, in mind to replace White when she eventually retires or possibly steps into Pat's shoes. That's all, of course, pure speculation. 

As promos for Wheel ramp up, one has to wonder just what lies ahead for this new chapter in the illustrious game show's history. We can't say for sure whether there's any true strife between the show's two main personalities right now. However, if there is anything like that brewing behind the scenes, one would hope that everything is resolved sooner rather than later. 

Be sure to check your local listings so you'll know when to catch the new episodes of Wheel of Fortune when they debut amid the 2024 TV schedule.

Anytime a great game show host steps down from their role, it’s always hard to enter a new era, especially when the program is considered one of the best game shows. We saw that when Alex Trebek retired from Jeopardy, and now we’re witnessing it again after Pat Sajak said so long to Wheel of Fortune, and Ryan Seacrest prepares to say hello. Of course, there are growing pains as we move through this transition, and as the American Idol host prepares to join Vanna White, fans are not holding back their thoughts about this new age of Wheel.

While fans haven’t been holding back their thoughts since the announcement that Seacrest would be taking over for Sajak came out, things really amped up when this promotion was released:

Down in the comments of this post, viewers sure did not shy away from sharing their transparent feelings about Wheel of Fortune returning to the 2024 TV schedule with a new host. So, let’s go over some of the reactions regarding this new chapter the classic game show is just starting.

Some Fans Didn’t Hold Back Their Critical Thoughts About Ryan Seacrest

Of course, there are people who are feeling apprehensive about Ryan Seacrest taking over the show. While the fun promo showed him and Vanna White having a blast during this upcoming season of Wheel of Fortune, some people weren’t convinced by it, and they commented things like:

• You need someone who will be long term. Ryan has bounced around multiple shows. -gary__mather
• No thanks -cindylclark99
• So done lol -stefanie_joyy
• Never like Seacrest. After forty years I’m going to no longer be a wheel watcher. Maggie, Blossom anybody but seacrest. Nope not going to watch -miamichiliman
• It still won't be the same without Pat but let's see how Ryan does -humski4

I get it, change is hard. Plus, with rumors swirling around that there might be trouble between Seacrest and White already, I can understand why fans are nervous. However, other reports suggest that things between the new co-hosts are going swimmingly and the promo looked fun to me, so it makes perfect sense that there are also a lot of very excited fans.

Other Fans Couldn’t Contain Their Enthusiasm About Ryan Seacrest 

Many fans aren’t holding back on their excited thoughts either. Some are even admitting that they might have made assumptions about this new era of Wheel of Fortune too soon, for example, @twiggney wrote:

Other fans of Wheel of Fortune can’t wait to see Ryan Seacrest take the wheel, and I’m with them. As many comments pointed out, there’s a real love for Seacrest already since many have watched him host things like American Idol and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve for years and years:

• Grew up watching WOF, watch it with my kids, and now excited to see it live on even longer with Ryan!! So fun! -j9crum
• I love Ryan!!! He is going to do a fantastic job. 👏👏❤️ -jeff_lee_ranson
• I’m so ready for the new Wheel of Fortune season to come. I’m feeling hyped. I can’t wait. We will all miss Pat Sajak. 🙌❤️🔥 -ly_richierrich972015
• Gonna miss Pat, but I'm ready for Ryan! 😊 -lisainspires

All around, there are a lot of feelings surrounding Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White’s upcoming tenure on Wheel of Fortune. Pat Sajak’s final episode drew in massive numbers, and he hosted the show for over 40 years, there’s a lot of love for him and change is hard.

However, as many fans pointed out, it’s time to give Ryan Secrest a chance and get excited for new episodes of Wheel of Fortune, which will start airing on weekdays in September.

For decades people have gathered around their TVs at night to watch one of the best games shows in history, Wheel of Fortune. It’s a game that gets the whole family screaming out letters, shouting answers to puzzles and laughing at some of the contestants’ terrible guesses. One of my favorite things about Wheel of Fortune, however, doesn’t have anything to do with spinning the wheel or solving the puzzle — it’s seeing what gorgeous gown Vanna White is wearing. So what exactly goes into choosing all of those iconic outfits?

For more than 40 years and 8,000 episodes, Vanna White has gotten to play dress-up each night on Wheel of Fortune, donning floor-length sequinned numbers and sleek cocktail dresses. She spoke recently to TV Insider about the selection process, revealing that designers typically show the studio about 40 options for her to try on, and there’s one very specific criteria each dress must meet. White said: 

The woman’s got a job to do, after all, so functionality and being able to move is as important as any part of it. After she tries on all the dresses, the studio chooses about a dozen to go into the rotation. 

In all her years turning letters on Wheel of Fortune, Vanna White said she’s only repeated one dress, and that was by accident four years ago, as her stylist didn’t realize she’d already worn the look until it was too late. She hilariously called her broken streak “so 2020” in a video that showed the duplicated blue number. 

Four decades is a long time to be spending your whole workday getting in and out of formalwear (with multiple episodes filmed per day, the co-host is no stranger to a costume change), so it’s no surprise that Vanna White has strong opinions when it comes to her favorite colors and styles. She said she prefers cocktail dresses so that she can be confident she won’t trip, and as for color palette, she loves a “bright pastel.” As for her favorite style to wear, White divulged: 

Functionality AND comfort in fashion? A woman after my own heart. It turns out Vanna White has a favorite dress too, as she recalled a pink gown that was trimmed with feathers that she wore in 2016. She said pink is her favorite color and it reminded her of a dress she wore as a child playing with Barbies.  

Lucky for us, we get to continue watching Vanna White dress up like Barbie each night even after we bid farewell to one of the best game show hosts ever in Pat Sajak. Following Sajak’s retirement announcement, White renegotiated her contract to remain on Wheel of Fortune for at least the first two seasons of Ryan Seacrest’s reign — unless the rumors of trouble between Seacrest and Whtie are true and she chooses to leave the show sooner.

Stay tuned to the 2024 TV schedule to see when to catch the new duo on Wheel of Fortune’s 42nd season this September. 

When Pat Sajak announced that he was retiring from Wheel of Fortune, it seemed like every effort was made to ensure a smooth transition. Ryan Seacrest was quickly named as Sajak's successor, and Vanna White’s contract was renegotiated to secure her role as co-host in this crucial time of transition for one of the best game shows of all time. Despite all of that, rumors have still swirled that there’s trouble behind the scenes, but what’s really going on between the new host and the iconic letter-turner?  

Vanna White Is Allegedly Struggling On Wheel Of Fortune Following Pat Sajak’s Exit 

Vanna White and Pat Sajak worked side-by-side for more than four decades, so it would be expected for the co-host to go through a mourning period of sorts, now that new Wheel of Fortune episodes have begun filming with Ryan Seacrest as the host. However, the Daily Mail reported that things are so bad, White may be looking for a way out sooner than we expected. A source said: 

Pat Sajak and Vanna White were like the peanut butter and jelly of game show hosts — Sajak even admitted he couldn’t find his mark without White — and the insider claims it’s just too hard for her to be there without him. White’s renegotiated deal secures her spot in front of the big board through 2026  Could it be true that she and Ryan Seacrest are on such different pages that that’s too long to wait? Another source says not so fast. 

Insider Refutes Claim Of Tension Between Ryan Seacrest And Vanna White 

If there is tension between Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest, you’d never know it from the American Idol host’s comments about his colleague so far. Seacrest has called her “legendary” and confirmed that White lives up to “icon” status. Indeed, a source close to the new host rejected the notion that there’s been any trouble on set, telling the New York Post: 

The Wheel of Fortune co-workers had already started filming promos together back in February — months before they said goodbye to one of the best game show hosts in history — and onlookers reported that Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White had a natural chemistry together. They reportedly got along great in between takes and happily took selfies with fans. 

Only time will tell if Vanna White is, indeed, looking for an early exit from her Wheel of Fortune gig, but for now the rumors of drama are just that. Keep an eye on the 2024 TV schedule for what’s coming up ahead of Ryan Seacrest’s debut this September. 

Nothing on TV is meant to last forever, though it’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking certain staples might break that mold. Wheel of Fortune is one of those small-screen stalwarts, with Pat Sajak holding down the fort (or the boat, per his own recent mixed metaphor) for 40+ years. That mighty reign has reached its end, however, and Sajak’s final episode features his special farewell message to longtime viewers.

Pat Sajak’s final address to Wheel’s fanbase is fairly low-key with the emotions, as the host apparently recorded it in a mostly empty studio without any audience members or contestants around, which would presumably make it easier to keep one’s feelings in check. Still, the retiring host’s gratitude is fully present, and it’s a sweet way to punctuate the past week of flashback montages and highlight reels, complete with a class act tribute from Vanna White herself.

Here’s how Sajak addressed his final (for now) Wheel of Fortune appearance (via TVLine):

It’s wild to think that Pat Sajak’s final episode comes at the end of a largely unbroken streak (save for vacations and his 2019 medical emergency) that lasted for more than 8,000 episodes. It’s possible, or even likely, that longtime viewers have seen Sajak’s face on TV more times than any other host, actor or celebrity in general. And if not for those kinds of loyal fans, the show might not have had the success it did.

Sajak also points out that Wheel of Fortune served as a place where viewers of all backgrounds and beliefs could put differences aside for enjoyment’s sake. Sajak is known to be a fairly staunch conservative behind the scenes, which has been a point of contention for certain sectors of the viewership, but Wheel itself never dipped into any such political turmoil, and was all the greater for it.

For as much as fans adore the gameplay and puzzles at the heart of Wheel of Fortune, it’s undeniable that Pat Sajak is one of the reasons why the show has remained one of the best game shows of all time for so many years. To take nothing away from Vanna’s influence, obviously. And speaking of…

Vanna White's Tribute To Pat Sajak

The day before Pat Sajak's final episode made its way into syndication, the show unveiled Vanna White's emotional tribute to her longtime co-star, which can be viewed below. (If you don't have an eye-dabbing tissue nearby, that's on you.)

White's video was unveiled after several days of looking-back interview segments featuring Sajak waxing nostalgic with his daughter Maggie Sajak, where he reflected on his retirement decision, addressed some of his favorite memories, and talked about his low-key future plans.

However, all of these were recorded prior to the recent news that Sajak will be reteaming with a former local news colleague to perform in a stage production of the Columbo tale Perscription: Murder. Fans will need to head to Hawaii to check those performances out, though.

Things will look radically different when Season 42 arrives, however, with Ryan Seacrest taking over hosting duties later this year. Until that time arrives, however, head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule to see what the summer season holds.

When Vanna White first appeared on Wheel of Fortune as the young letter-turner standing in front of the Big Board more than 40 years ago, there’s no way she could have predicted the job would end up defining her whole career. There’s proof, too, that she worried just how far the game show would take her. An old TV Guide interview has resurfaced, in which White discussed the possibility that her 15 minutes of fame could come to an abrupt end, and she worried that she may never work again post-Wheel of Fortune.

It’s almost laughable now to look back at Vanna White’s interview from March 4, 1989, and see the 32-year-old hustling to make sure she’d be OK if Wheel of Fortune got canceled or they simply stopped calling her. The job was such a dream, she said back then, she was terrified of waking up and having it be over. She continued (via TV Insider): 

That interview was done six years into Vanna White’s now-four-decade career on Wheel of Fortune, but nothing she said there was false. The entertainment industry is fickle, and the day will still come when she’ll have to figure out what, if anything, comes next. It’s crazy to think that 35 years have passed since this interview, and the circumstances she describes haven’t yet presented themselves. 

As hard as it apparently was for her to say no to other opportunities — especially if those other jobs would have taken her away from one of the best game shows of all time — she definitely made the right decision in sticking beside Pat Sajak. Now it’s less a question of IF the 67-year-old will ever work again after she leaves Wheel of Fortune and more about if she WANTS to keep working, because she certainly shouldn’t need to.

It’s safe to say that the majority of Vanna White’s time on Wheel of Fortune is behind her, and there’s already speculation about who might replace her in front of the Big Board when the time comes. She’s even admitted that she considered retiring at the same time as Pat Sajak, who is set to make his final appearance on the Season 41 finale on Friday, June 7. 

However, when Season 42 premieres on the 2024 TV schedule this September with Ryan Seacrest holding the reins, Vanna White will be right there beside him, at least for a couple of years. The co-host renegotiated her contract in fall 2023 to appear through the 2025-26 season. The rest remains unknown. What happens after Wheel of Fortune? Will she ever work again? Thirty-five years after that TV Guide interview, White still knows that day will come. 

Pat Sajak’s final episode of Wheel of Fortune is fast approaching, with the game show’s 43-year host headed to retirement following the June 7 episode. Not only will it be the end of an era for one of the best game show hosts, it will be the end of one of TV’s greatest dynamic duos — Pat Sajak and Vanna White. After four decades, these two are so close that White has even said she considered leaving the show with him. Now that the big goodbye is actually upon us, the letter-turner had the most lovely things to say about Sajak, and boy are her words tugging at my heartstrings. 

Vanna White and Pat Sajak have been the faces of Wheel of Fortune for over 40 years. Forget TV shows or business partnerships, that’s longer than many marriages last! White said it’s hard to come up with the right words for what it will feel like to have someone different — in this case, Ryan Seacrest — leading the contestants in spinning the Big Wheel, but she found a beautiful way to explain it, telling TV Insider: 

Describing her journey alongside Pat Sajak as “the best book” she's ever read is so heart-warming, and heart-wrenching, when you consider that in every story the last page must be turned at some point. After living the entirety of their adult lives together in front of the camera, it’s obvious that Vanna White and Pat Sajak have become more like family than colleagues or co-hosts. She’s referred to him as her “TV husband,” and apparently Kelly Ripa is one of many viewers who thought she and Sajak were married in real life.

The bond is undeniable, and it doesn’t sound like there’s anything — even Pat Sajak’s retirement — that could weaken the relationship at this point. Vanna White said:

Forty years ago they never could have imagined what an institution Wheel of Fortune would become — it’s one of the best game shows of all time — and that they would be two of the most prominent people in each other’s lives, seeing the world together and appearing on TV every weeknight. They’ve undoubtedly been through a lot together, and hopefully their relationship will endure off-screen once Pat Sajak passes the baton.

Check your local listings to see how to watch Pat Sajak’s final episodes in your area, and keep an eye on the 2024 TV schedule to see when Ryan Seacrest will officially take over on Wheel of Fortune, with Vanna White in front of the Big Board, of course.

Wheel of Fortune is prepping for new host Ryan Seacrest to take over and, with that, the long-running game show will enter a new era. When it was announced that Pat Sajak would be stepping down to retire, Seacrest expressed excitement over this "full circle" moment. Of course, he's no stranger to hosting, but WoF is a tad different from what he’s used to. And Seacrest just revealed that while preparing for his new gig, he just had to ask Sajak and Vanna White for their take on the best part about the show. 

There’s a lot that goes into a show like Wheel of Fortune, and it's because of the hard work of its creative team that it's been so beloved by viewers for decades. Of course, its two longtime hosts, unsurprisingly, get a kick out of it as well. Ryan Seacrest told Good Morning America that when he first met Pat Sajak and Vanna White, they told him what they love most about the program, and it makes complete sense:

It's definitely great watching contestants get excited after winning cash and more while they're on the show, and it's sweet that the two hosts relish that. There are those who flub easy puzzles, but it's incredibly satisfying when said participants emerge victorious. Ryan Seacrest knows what it’s like to see people win and knows how to make people feel good on air. After all, he's done this for years as the host of American Idol and through giving away prizes on Live! with Kelly and Ryan. All in all, WoF feels like a natural extension of the work Seacrest has done for years.

Other than relishing the fact that he gets to make people happy daily, the media personality shared his excitement, having been a longtime fan of the show. Wheel of Fortune has been around since 1975 and, now that Ryan Seacrest is joining that long legacy, it’s not surprising to hear that he is as excited as ever:

Although episodes with Pat Sajak are still airing and will be until at least June, Wheel of Fortune is clearly prepping for its first post-Sajak season. Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White have already began shooting promos for next season, and Seacrest praised his new colleague and her icon status. Even though the show will be different next season without Sajak, it seems to be in good hands, especially since the new host seems to understand what makes it so great.

For now, you can continue to watch Pat Sajak’s episodes air as part of the 2024 TV schedule for another few months. Although his retirement isn't addressed much on air, some contestants have already been saying their goodbyes. All the while, let's hope his successor is ready to take on the gig.

For those who make Wheel of Fortune viewing part of their daily routine, Pat Sajak will remain firmly in his spot next to the Big Wheel for a few more months. However, in real time the game show has been preparing for his retirement since Sajak announced in June 2023 that Season 41 would be his last. Ryan Seacrest was quickly named Sajak’s successor, and months ahead of the American Idol host’s Wheel of Fortune debut, he’s already filming promos with Vanna White.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White may be the dynamic duo we’re used to on America’s favorite game show, but get ready to see a lot of the famed letter-turner beside Ryan Seacrest, as Wheel of Fortune prepares us for the new chapter. In fact, the man known for his many big hosting jobs was pictured with White in Hawaii, TMZ reports, as they’ve already begun filming for Season 42.

Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest are reportedly on Waikiki Beach in Oahu, Hawaii, filming promos and episodes for the season that will premiere in September 2024 — its first without Pat Sajak. That sounds like an ideal setting for Seacrest to kick off his new venture, and it certainly seems like he was inspired by the atmosphere, as the site reports that in one promo, the new host donned snorkel gear and dove right into the water. 

That’s definitely not a move I’d expected to have seen from Pat Sajak, so we really are in a new era of Wheel of Fortune. Ryan Seacrest reportedly wore flip-flops and a Hawaiian shirt for more scenes with Vanna White that were shot at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. They seemed to have natural chemistry together, according to onlookers, who said the co-hosts got along great between takes and also happily took selfies with fans who requested them.

That’s probably great news for longtime Wheel of Fortune fans to hear, but it’s hardly surprising. Ryan Seacrest had only glowing things to say about his new colleague, calling Vanna White an “icon” after the two shot their first promos together in late 2023. 

Although Ryan Seacrest has said he’s “nervous” about following in the footsteps of Pat Sajak — and who would blame him for that? — the former Live with Kelly and Ryan host said Vanna White and Sajak have assured him that Wheel of Fortune is “probably the best show to work on on television,” due to the fact that they get to give away money.

Ryan Seacrest was actually the perfect choice to replace Pat Sajak, due to his extensive hosting experience and likely being a familiar face to Wheel fans. The fact that the show made the move to hire him so quickly after Sajak’s retirement announcement seemingly proves that they’re taking this transition very seriously, and that they’re already shooting promos likely means we’re going to have plenty of time to adjust to seeing him with Vanna White before the first episode of Season 42 makes it to broadcast.

In the meantime, though, check your local listings to see when and where to catch Pat Sajak’s final months, and keep an eye on the 2024 TV schedule for all of the upcoming premiere dates. 

Ever since Pat Sajak announced that he would be retiring at the end of the current season of Wheel of Fortune, questions have loomed regarding Vanna White’s future on the beloved game show. While she has signed on for the first two seasons that will see Ryan Seacrest take over hosting duties, many have speculated that Pat’s daughter Maggie Sajak could eventually be the one to replace the famed letter-turner when White does decide to step away, and a recent social media post has only strengthened that narrative. 

Fans seem to believe that a January 4 Instagram post from Maggie Sajak — who has served as Wheel of Fortune’s social media correspondent since 2021 — dropped a big hint about Vanna White’s successor. See what you think below: 

The video shows Vanna White — in full Barbiecore — walking past a similarly sequined Maggie Sajak on set, as the two exchange an enthusiastic, “Hi Barbie!” greeting, and while this all makes complete sense, given White’s choice of wardrobe, some thought it was the hint of something more. The way the two crossed paths, delivering the same greeting, prompted one fan to comment:  

Another was thinking the same thing, asking: 

It certainly seems like a possiblity that Maggie Sajak might be the one to take Vanna White’s spot in front of the big board when the letter-turner of 40-plus years does decide to retire. For one, Wheel of Fortune fans would undoubtedly love to see the Sajak name continue on the show, and secondly, Maggie’s already gotten some experience at the job. 

Maggie Sajak took Vanna White’s spot for a week in 2020, as White filled in for Pat Sajak while he was recovering from emergency surgery. Last year Maggie returned to the big board, replacing the co-host as White competed on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune alongside Jeopardy! hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik.

Vanna White’s even voiced her support for Pat Sajak’s daughter, saying in 2023 that she thinks Maggie is a “good replacement” for her if she’s unable to be there for any reason, particularly, White said, because Maggie has been around the Wheel of Fortune set for literally her entire life. 

As for when the day will come when Sony will have to make the decision about Vanna White’s replacement, nobody knows for sure. Her new contract keeps her on America’s favorite game through the 2025-26 season, so there’s still plenty of time before anyone to worry about that. Many assumed that she and Pat Sajak would go at the same time, given that they’ve been paired as a duo for the past four decades. White admitted that she thought about leaving but explained that she wasn’t ready to retire and said she still loves her job. 

Regardless of what happens in the coming years, it’s certainly fun to see Barbie girls Vanna White and Maggie Sajak interact with each other, and allow us to speculate on Maggie’s future with the game show. Check your local listings to see when to catch Pat Sajak on his final season of Wheel of Fortune and also be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule to stay up to date on all of the upcoming premieres. 

Pat Sajak and Vanna White’s names have been spoken in the same sentence for the past four decades, but come September, the iconic letter-turner will have a new colleague on Wheel of Fortune. As Ryan Seacrest prepares to take over for Pat Sajak upon his retirement in 2024, the American Idol host has already gotten to spend a little bit of time with White, and he is able to confirm that she lives up to her reputation as an icon.

When it comes to game show royalty, Vanna White has got to be in the conversation alongside Pat Sajak, who’s one of the best game show hosts to ever do it. She’s been a fixture in front of the big board for 41 years, and after negotiating a new contract for another two, it looks like White will be around to show Ryan Seacrest the ropes. The incoming host praised White when he recalled the work they've already done together for next season, telling E! News:  

Pat Sajak will still be the face of the franchise through the end of the current season, which is slated to end in Summer 2024, but according to Ryan Seacrest, he and Vanna White have already gotten a jump on some of the promotional material. It sounds like the two of them are set to enjoy a great partnership, and Seacrest has even apparently gotten some advice from Sajak and White, who relayed how much fun the show is and that giving away money never gets old.

Ryan Seacrest — who’s hosted a number of big gigs in his career — knows that he’s stepping into some enormous shoes on Wheel of Fortune as Pat Sajak’s replacement, which unsurprisingly comes with a few nerves. Excitement seems to be the prevailing emotion, though, as he continued: 

He’s expressed similar sentiments before, saying he doesn’t need to change any aspect of the show when he takes over, because the game works as it is. Every comment Ryan Seacrest makes about Wheel of Fortune, in fact, seems to be full of reverence, and that is apparently also true for his impression of Vanna White.

How long Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White will work together, however, is another question. White’s new contract is only for two years, so could she be looking to follow in Pat Sajak’s footsteps sooner rather than later? When the host announced his impending retirement, White has admitted she thought about leaving too but ultimately decided she wasn’t ready to go.

We’ll have to see what the future holds, but for now fans can continue to watch Pat Sajak host his final season. Check your local listings to see when Wheel of Fortune airs in your area, and be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what all is premiering through the end of the year. 

Wheel of Fortune fans breathed a sigh of relief when Vanna White reached a deal to stay on for two more seasons. Fans were worried she might be heading out the door after longtime co-host Pat Sajak announced his retirement. At the moment, Sajak is currently in his final season on the game show. As his time winds down, the beloved letter-turner explains why she decided not to leave with him.

Of course, the TV icon’s contract talks made countless headlines, which she later said were blown out of proportion. White will continue flipping letters as incoming host Ryan Seacrest gets ready to take over next season. However, Pat Sajak leaving the show not only took fans by surprise, his co-host was shocked as well. The game show hostess revealed to Good Morning America (via X) what went through her mind after Sajak’s major announcement, saying:

It’s nice to know the co-host still loves her job more than four decades after making her debut on the iconic game show. White became the series’ second hostess in 1982 after the original hostess Susan Stafford left in October of that year. However, she still has the same vigor and stamina for the game show decades later. So, fans will continue watching White daily for a few more years.

Despite Pat Sajak leaving the game series, there’s still love between the co-hosts. White admitted loving and adoring her longtime co-host during their tenure. Working together for so long allowed the game show duo to learn each other’s intricacies, even when Sajak is upset. The co-hosts even called themselves “Ken and Barbie” during their four decades on the hangman-style show. Knowing those nicknames puts Kelly Ripa’s confusion over the game show duo’s marital status in perspective. Their friendship and gratitude extended to Ryan Seacrest as they gave him advice about hosting the show.

While Vanna White will remain on viewers’ screens for some time, that wasn’t always the case. Following Sajak’s retirement announcement, she did think about leaving Wheel of Fortune, but she reconsidered the thought after realizing she wasn’t ready to relinquish the puzzle wall. 

Check out the 2023 TV schedule so you can catch White flipping letters on Wheel of Fortune in daily syndication. You can also get the chance to say "goodbye" to Pat Sajak during his final season of the game series. Come back to CinemaBlend to get more updates on the co-host's swan song Wheel of Fortune season.

As Pat Sajak’s Wheel of Fortune retirement gets closer, it’s hard to imagine him and Vanna White not being on the show together. The duo have been the faces of the long-running game show since 1981, which is definitely a long time. It seems like they are super close too after spending a good chunk of their lives together. However, don’t get the wrong idea about them because friendly reminder, they are just friends and colleagues. If you did think they were married at one point, you aren’t the only one though, because Kelly Ripa thought that for a while.

The longtime letter-turner appeared on Live! with Kelly and Mark to discuss her time on the series and Sajak’s upcoming retirement, which will happen after this current season. Since they’ve been working together for so long, Ripa actually thought at one point that they were married. After White brought up the Live! hosts being married, Kelly Ripa confessed how a dinner party made her realize that the Wheel hosts weren’t actually together (via TV Insider):

Kelly Ripa: For years, I mean, I think I speak for a lot of people, I thought you and Pat were married. Imagine my surprise when Pat came to our house for dinner one night…

Mark Consuelos: And you weren’t there.

Ripa: I was like, ‘Oh my god! Pat and Vanna must have gotten divorced!

It’s hilarious to know that Kelly Ripa genuinely thought the Wheel co-hosts were married and then got divorced. I would have loved to see her reaction when she found out that Pat Sajak and Vanna White were, in fact, never married. It just shows how close the two of them are and that their chemistry is undeniable. Now Ripa is just laughing at the fact she thought that, and she is willing to admit it. She likely isn’t the only one who thought the Wheel hosts were married, or at least dating, but she is probably the only one who learned they weren’t by way of Sajak showing up to dinner without White at his side.

After Sajak announced his retirement, White revealed she thought about leaving Wheel of Fortune. She didn’t know how the show or herself would be able to go on without him. However, she realized she wasn’t quite ready to retire, which is why she went through tough negotiations to get a new and fair contract. She finally landed a new contract, meaning she is sticking around for at least another few seasons. 

When White eventually leaves, whenever that may be, fans already have someone in mind who they want to replace her, and it would be keeping it in the Sajak family. Sajak’s daughter, Maggie, has experience turning letters from filling in for White on a couple of occasions. She’s also the show’s social media correspondent. White also gave her thoughts on Maggie replacing her, noting that she’s “a good replacement.” So you never know what could happen.

Kelly Ripa's former Live! co-host, Ryan Seacrest is set to replace Sajak after his retirement, but it will be hard to match the same energy Sajak had with White. The bond the two of them have is pretty special, and while they aren't actually married, they are close. Fans can continue to see Sajak host Wheel of Fortune on the 2023 TV schedule weekdays on NBC and going through at least early summer 2024.

Wheel of Fortune is going to look quite different after the currently airing season wraps up, with Pat Sajak retiring and stepping down from his longtime frontman role. Ryan Seacrest was already announced as his replacement, making it his first daily hosting gig since he exited the then-named Live with Kelly and Ryan. He appears to be pretty confident about eventually taking over, but his former co-star Kelly Ripa voiced an amusing (but highly relevant) concern she has about Seacrest in that particular capacity. And it turns out any worries she has are probably justifiable, with Pat Sajak getting called out by viewers for allowing a contestant’s misspoken guess to count as a correct answer.

Kelly Ripa appeared as a guest on the podcast Life Is Short, hosted by the current star of Disney+’s Goosebumps, Justin Long, where she talked about chatting with Wheel’s Vanna White, who’s spent quite a few months in 2023 working out contract negotiations (even if she downplayed how hectic it was). The soap opera star-turned-celeb then brought up her biggest concern over Seacrest taking on the highly visible hosting job: his spelling skills, or possible lack thereof. Here’s how Ripa put it:

Both Ripa and Justin Long basically shared the notion that Ryan Seacrest is the kind of endlessly casual and collected celeb that doesn’t seem like he’d ever present a case for his TV bosses to worry, least of all when it’s a hosting position. But it’s rather hilarious that one of his biggest hypothetical personal issues involves the most core element of his upcoming job. If he was terrible with numbers and math? Wheel of Fortune would be a great option. But for someone whose spelling skills have much to be desired? It seems like a good time for a reboot of Classic Concentration, amirite?

As Ripa bemusingly put it: “Spelling counts on that show.” And if Ryan Seacrest isn’t 100% on top of his game in that department, he may find himself the butt of far more social media videos and comments after joining Wheel. To that end, Pat Sajak once again found himself the target of viewer ire after botching a contestant’s answer.

The Wheel Of Fortune Mistake That Fans Got Angry Over

One Wheel of Fortune episode this week featured a round with a Crossword Puzzle theme, where each of the words in the puzzle had to follow “Butter” in a sensible fashion. Inexplicably enough, just as contestant Nadine Cedro was set to try and solve the puzzle, Pat Sajak reminded her of the slightly more strict verbiage in this instance: “Say everything. Don’t add anything.” And yet, when Cedro gave her answer, she did indeed slip up by adding an extra letter to one of the four words she answered with, erroneously guessing “nuts” instead of the proper “nut.”

But rather than recalling his own advice uttered just seconds before, Pat Sajak & Co. allowed Cedro to earn the $1,800 that she’d banked before guessing. Nothing against the contestant for making the mistake — lord knows there have been legitimately terrible answers already this season — but it seems kind of ridiculous for a show with both a host and a judges table to allow what was clearly a flubbed answer to be rewarded. Quite a few Wheel of Fortune viewers took to social media to express their dismay and befuddlement, with the post below summing things up quite perfectly.  

Will Ryan Seacrest need closed captioning to have a better shot at sorting through all the grid-based spelling involved with Wheel of Fortune? Will he need to wear an earpiece so that Vanna White can clandestinely guide him along through the episodes? Will WoF drop its words-and-letters format and replace them with puzzles based entirely on grunts? None of those seem likely. Or smart. 

Find out if Kelly Ripa’s worries were justified or all for naught when Ryan Seacrest takes over for Pat Sajak next season. Until then, be sure to watch Wheel weeknights in syndication, and head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule to see all the exciting new shows on the way soon. 

The saga of Vanna White’s Wheel of Fortune contract negotiations finally ended after the game show's letter-turner signed a new contract. WOF fans rejoiced when it was announced that she would be staying on for the Ryan Seacrest era following Pat Sajak’s retirement. However, before that, the online heat over her uncertain future with the show stayed high until her contract renewal became public. With that in mind, the beloved TV personality broke her silence on the ordeal as she got real about those contract negotiation rumors.

White will remain with the iconic game show at least through the 2025-26 season. Thankfully, she will be around as fans get used to seeing Seacrest unveil categories to eager contestants. However, seeing the online chatter over her contract talks was disheartening for the TV veteran. The Wheel of Fortune co-host said to People:

Despite the ongoing media chaos, the WOF veteran called herself “a strong person” as she didn’t let the speculation bother her. Her reported back-and-forth with Wheel producers had viewers questioning White’s future with the show. The producers and her reportedly weren’t on the same page during early talks, and an insider claimed White wanted her salary closer to current co-host Pat Sajak's annual income. 

The rumors and contract negotiations didn’t bring down White’s outlook on her future with the hangman-centric show. Of course, this wasn’t the first time she’d re-negotiated her contract. So, this time was no different. The TV personality spoke about her resilience, telling the publication:

Her mother’s advice helped the TV personality as she fought for her future with Wheel. The mother of two’s determination paid off as she will stick around for two more years. Vanna White mentioned she would give the same advice to any young woman. The TV veteran said:

Her words would work for any young female professional pushing to show their worth in the workplace. Following your instincts can be helpful in any situation. 

Her continued presence on WOF might garner a sense of relief for faithful viewers as White revealed she almost joined Pat Sajak in leaving the game show before extending her contract. As Pat Sajak continues his final season of Wheel of Fortune, viewers can watch the duo's last episodes together in daily syndication. Don't forget to look over our 2023 TV schedule too if you want to catch your favorite game show.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White’s names have been synonymous with Wheel of Fortune for over 40 years now, but more than that, the co-hosts of America’s favorite game show have been synonymous with each other. So it was no surprise that when Sajak announced in June that he was retiring at the end of the current season, there were many questions about what the future held for White. The famed letter-turner will be back when Ryan Seacrest takes over next September, but she’s now admitting that she thought about leaving Wheel of Fortune too.

Vanna White recently reached a deal with Sony Television to remain the co-host of the iconic game show at least through the 2025-2026 season. That gives her a minimum two years standing on the stage without Pat Sajak — something that she told People was unfathomable to her at first, as she revealed that it crossed her mind to retire alongside him. White said: 

Pat Sajak and Vanna White have been a package deal for four decades, and she’s even referred to him as her “TV husband.” I’d imagine there were some pretty strong emotions involved in what it would mean for them to all of a sudden be on different paths after all this time. In the end, White simply wasn’t ready to move on, so they each did what was best for them.

The current host, however, possibly got a taste of what’s to come for his work wife recently, as he seemed a little lost when Vanna White was missing from some Wheel of Fortune episodes following a positive COVID test. “I can’t even find my mark without her!” he told the audience.

The producers at Wheel of Fortune made it clear from the start that they wanted Vanna White to stay on after Pat Sajak’s retirement, but securing their longtime co-host wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. White lawyered up for contract negotiations, as she reportedly hadn’t received a traditional pay raise in over a decade, despite allegedly making just one-fifth of Sajak’s salary.

The two parties seemed to hit a stalemate, with producers reportedly balking at her terms, which sources said made Vanna White feel like they thought she was replaceable. Shortly after Pat Sajak’s farewell season premiered, however, an agreement was made, allowing White and the rest of us to turn our focus back to Sajak for his farewell season.

Check your local listings to see when Wheel of Fortune airs in your area, and be sure to also take a look at our 2023 TV schedule to see what shows are premiering soon.