Now that Pat Sajak has officially retired from “Wheel of Fortune” and longtime “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest has begun filming his first episodes of the game show, producers have released a new TV promo starring Seacrest and the show’s long-running co-host, Vanna White, to drum up excitement for their first season together, set to premiere in September 2024, per TV Insider.
But since the 15-second promo hit social media on July 1, it has left “Wheel of Fortune” fans deeply divided. Some were thrilled to see a glimpse of Seacrest officially becoming the new host, while others slammed everything about the spot and announced they plan to boycott the show.
Ryan Seacrest Appears With Vanna White in New Promo
In the new “Wheel of Fortune” promo, shot on the soundstage where the game show is filmed, Seacrest, 49, is seen telling White, 66, “I can’t wait to get to work!”
Through a megaphone, White announces, “Let’s get you ready for fall” as if she’s a coach training him for a new athletic season. As he jogs through the parking lot, she follows him in a golf cart yelling, “Go, Ryan, go!” She also has him spin the wheel loaded with bricks to make it heavy, and try strength-training band in the studio. The promo ends with Seacrest exclaiming through a burst of confetti, “I’m ready!”
In the video’s caption, the show’s social media team wrote, “Ryan and Vanna are READY! Who else is 🙋🙋”
Turns out some fans are more than ready, while others say they’re planning to boycott the game show because of Seacrest’s hiring.
One fan, among many, expressed anger about White not being named the starring host, writing, “It’s like a punch in the gut to her. RYAN IS THE WORST HOST EVER ON ANY SHOW … I WON’T BE WATCHING WOF. I’M DONE AND RETIRED TOO.”
Someone else who plans to not watch the show anymore wrote, “So sick of seeing Seacrest EVERYWHERE! And… why are they paying him so much more than Pat! AWFUL CHOICE! Won’t be watching…”
Financial details of Seacrest’s new gig have not been released, but he plans to handle on top of hosting “Idol,” his syndicated radio shows “On Air With Ryan Seacrest” and “American Top 40,” and ABC’s annual “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” per the New York Post.
But Seacrest has had plenty of support, too, from his longtime fans as well as “Wheel of Fortune” viewers who’ve said they’re willing to give him a shot.
“I have been so anti Ryan since I heard he was the new host and thought I’d never watch my favorite show again,” one person wrote after seeing the new promo, “but instant 180. I’m excited to see him do it, I think they did a great job casting him. I was too quick to be negative”
Another viewer commented, “I don’t know why people are being so negative about Ryan Seacrest, give him a chance, Pat can’t host forever, let him retire and live his life. WHEEL goes ON!”
“I’m so ready for the new Wheel of Fortune season to come,” one fan wrote. “I’m feeling hyped. I can’t wait. We will all miss Pat Sajak. 🙌❤️🔥”
Ryan Seacrest Officially Took Over for Pat Sajak in May, Filming His First ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Episodes
Seacrest was named in June 2023 as Sajak’s replacement, after the longtime game show host announced his retirement. On June 7, 2024, Sajak’s final episode aired.
The night before, the show aired an emotional, pre-recorded message for Sajak from White, in which she tearfully said, with a snap of her fingers, “Eight thousand episodes went by like that! When I first started, I was so green. You made me so comfortable and made me so confident, Pat. You made me who I am.”
Seacrest paid tribute to his predecessor on social media, sharing a photo of himself and Sajak on the “Wheel of Fortune” set with White, 66, who has signed on to work with Seacrest for the next two years.
Seacrest wrote, “Pat, congratulations on an incredible run with Wheel of Fortune! Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades.”
Though he’d already filmed promos with White, Seacrest officially took over for Sajak the day after the season 22 “American Idol” finale in May, he told ET correspondent Denny Directo. When Directo asked Seacrest after the finale when he would begin filming “Wheel of Fortune,” Seacrest exclaimed, “Tomorrow!”
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