Wheel of Fortune is one of the most popular game shows on TV.
The retirement of Pat Sajak is set to bring a big change to the long-running show.
And Ryan Seacrest has this fear about replacing Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune.
Ryan Seacrest has a fear of failure heading into hosting duties at Wheel of Fortune
Pat Sajak has been the host of Wheel of Fortune since 1981.
He announced last year that this season would be his last on the long-running game show.
Sajak taped his last episode of Wheel, which is set to air on June 7, so attention is turning to the show’s future.
The show’s producers quickly tapped American Idol host Ryan Seacrest to replace him.
Sajak became one of the most popular game show hosts on TV during his more than four-decade run on Wheel of Fortune.
Seacrest is a seasoned host with stints at American Idol, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and On Air with Ryan Seacrest.
But he has massive shoes to fill replacing Sajak who became an institution on Wheel of Fortune.
A source at the show told Closer Weekly that Seacrest started “coming into the show for production tests” in April.
“Nobody in this business has a bigger fear of failure than Ryan,” the source said.
“Ryan is being humble, he’s listening, he’s sucking up to [letter turner] Vanna [White] and the crew, and he’s utterly focused on interacting with the contestants and the regular people from ordinary America who come in and out of that show,” the source added.
Letter turner and co-host Vanna White agreed to a contract extension that will keep her on Wheel of Fortune through 2026.
She’ll help provide some stability as the game show transitions from the Sajak era to Seacrest.
Ryan Seacrest is preparing for a long run as Wheel of Fortune host
Becoming the host of Wheel of Fortune is a major step in Seacrest’s career.
And he’s preparing to hold onto the role for a long time.
A source at American Idol told Closer Weekly that Seacrest is “carefully building a foundation for another 20-year run like he’s had on American Idol.”
“But he has to build it one brick at a time and that means doing everything right as far as being charming and deferential to the many female execs involved in the show and of course, to Vanna,” the source added.
Switching hosts after more than four decades has some of the crew at Wheel of Fortune nervous about the transition.
“The hesitation at the top of Sony [Wheel of Fortune’s producer] about working with Ryan is his notorious ego when it comes to his own hosting talent, and that’s a weapon that is also wielded by his business team, who aren’t shy about reminding people of Ryan’s decades-spanning track record in live TV and radio,” the source said.
The source added that Seacrest has been on his best behavior despite rumors about his ego.
“As everybody knows, that’s a little against his hype-beast nature but as hard as it’s been for him to adjust his tone, he’s pulling it off. And if he wants things to work long term, he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter. You’re going to see a different Ryan on this show because there’s already been a big change behind the scenes. But let’s see how long this really lasts!” the source explained.
Ryan Seacrest will be under the spotlight trying to replace one of the most beloved game show hosts in history.
