After 40 years, ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is entering a new era

It’s been over a year since Pat Sajak announced he’d be stepping down as the host of “ Wheel of Fortune ” after 40 seasons. Now, the beloved game show is about to enter its new era .

Starting Monday, Ryan Seacrest , the longtime host of “American Idol,” will greet millions of “Wheel of Fortune” viewers night after night.

And that isn’t the only major change coming to the show — the “Wheel of Fortune” set has undergone a glossy upgrade as the show launches into a new chapter, including an updated letter board for co-host Vanna White , per The New York Times .

But for all of the changes, Seacrest is adamant that his job is to keep the show moving forward as seamlessly as possible for the roughly 20 million viewers who tune in each week — and he’s been putting in the work to accomplish that.

“Nothing needs to change. Just me standing there with my voice and my mannerisms, that’s different enough,” Seacrest said, according to USA Today , noting that he practiced hosting for months with mock games and contestants. “I want the audience to feel like this is the right decision. I want (the show) to be something that’s not jarring, that’s seamless.”

Ryan Seacrest joins Vanna White in hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’

To prepare for his new gig, Seacrest, a veteran TV host who has been affiliated with a number of shows over the years, sifted through hundreds of “Wheel” episodes. He observed Sajak and White on set and sought out their advice. He read the rule book and made flashcards of the rules. He even had a miniature version of the wheel, built by the show’s executive producer, that he’d practice with as he traveled for work, per Variety .

“They brought a computer with a screen that had the board and all the sound effects, so I could get a feel for it,” he told Variety . “The full-size wheel is harder to operate than it looks. It’s heavy. I almost fell over trying to spin it.”

Seacrest said he also wanted White — who has been with the show since 1982 — to stay on board.

When Sajak announced his retirement, White was in the middle of contract negotiations. Her salary had reportedly stayed at roughly $3 million for the past 18 years, the Deseret News reported. Now, her contract has been extended through the 2025-26 season, along with a pay raise, USA Today reported.

“I didn’t want to do it with anyone other than Vanna,” Seacrest told Variety . “It was critical for me to have her on the show as long as she wants to be. And certainly for the launch — to have two different people would be too much change at once. I made it very clear that that would be a mistake if they didn’t have her on board.”

White told USA Today “it was a hard decision to make,” considering she had worked alongside Sajak for four decades.

“‘Do I go with him?’” White recalled thinking. “But then I thought that I’m not ready to leave. I’m not ready to retire.”

Seacrest, meanwhile, has signed a multiyear contract.

“I hope the audience feels the same way, but this is something I want to do for a long time,” he told USA Today . “No one can beat Pat Sajak. He’s a legend and icon. I can’t be Pat, I can be me. And I can hopefully make it as fun and seamless as possible. That’s all I can hope for.”

Pat Sajak still a part of ‘Wheel of Fortune’

Viewers haven’t seen the last of Sajak, though.

The 77-year-old host still has one more season at the helm of “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” which airs beginning Oct. 7, per Variety . And he is staying on as a “Wheel of Fortune” consultant for the next three years, Deadline reported.

Sajak has been with “Wheel” since 1981, taking over for original host Chuck Woolery (fun fact: In 1980, a few years before he would host “Jeopardy!” for 36 seasons, the late Alex Trebek hosted “Wheel of Fortune” at the last minute, filling in for Woolery, who was sick).

Throughout his “Wheel” career, Sajak has won the Emmy for outstanding game show host three times, per Variety .

His last episode as “Wheel” host aired June 7.

“It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes, night after night, year after year, decade after decade,” Sajak said in his final message to viewers, per Deadline . “And I always felt that the privilege came with the responsibility to keep this daily half-hour a safe place for family fun. No social issues. No politics. Nothing embarrassing, I hope. Just a game. But gradually it became more than that.

“A place where kids learned their letters, where people from other countries honed their English skills, where families came together along with friends and neighbors, and entire generations,” he continued. “What an honor to play even a small part in all of that. Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”