The audience roared during their entrance as the American Idol fixture walked Vanna out through the bright new set , which had sliding doors center-stage.
Ryan wore a black suit and tie, while Vanna upped the ante in a regal blue gown.
“Welcome to the show,” Vanna told Ryan as she clasped his arm. “So good to have you.”
‘BIG SHOES TO FILL’
Ryan took center stage and shared a lengthy message with fans.
“Welcome to Wheel of Fortune. I am your host Ryan Seacrest. I still can’t believe my luck being here tonight to continue this legacy of this incredible show.”
“And, of course, my good friend Vanna White. Thank you for the very warm welcome,” he added.
“That takes a ton of skill and confidence and also shows a lot of personal character in learning the game and the contestants,” they continued.
Terry ended up winning the game with an impressive $25,849 haul, and he told Corina her “spirit and energy were unmatched” as she won football tickets to any NFL game of her choosing.
Terry was unable to get the bonus round, which was “Digital Footprint,” and Ryan gave him a firm handshake, thanking him for being there on his first night.
RYAN TAKES THE WHEEL
After endless anticipation, a head-spinning press tour, and rumors of stale co-host chemistry , Wheel of Fortune’s new season is here.
Ryan has now replaced Pat as host and joins TV royalty Vanna as the show’s new puzzle-presenting pair.
Pat has been the host since 1981 (Vanna since 1982), a record for the longest game show host ever, so it’s quite the moment.
Pat’s final episode aired on June 7, 2024 a tearjerker watched by millions almost a year after he announced his departure.
Just weeks after Pat announced his retirement a year earlier, the American Idol fixture was secured as his replacement.
Some fans were initially puzzled by Ryan’s selection, as he already has a full plate and many jobs.
There were also reports that he and Vanna “don’t jibe” on set, and she even admitted she was “very scared” of the huge change.
“Ryan wasn’t Pat’s choice to replace him and Pat deliberately stayed out of that process,” they said.
“Ryan was extremely smart when he took the job to be utterly respectful to Pat at every turn.
“Ryan did not want there to be even an ounce of tension between them.
“Ryan acts like he has Pat’s support and for now, that helps him [Ryan] enjoy this honeymoon period, where the fans are going to decide if he’s a good fit for the show.”
However, Ryan has made it known in his many interviews leading up to tonight that he’s taking the big gig seriously.
“I want the audience to feel like this is the right decision,” he told USA Today . “I want [the transition] to be something that’s not jarring, that’s seamless.”
Ryan also made clear he wouldn’t host unless he did so alongside Vanna, whom he met in 2007 at Merv Griffin’s funeral.
“I didn’t want to do it with anyone other than Vanna,” Ryan 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.”
Vanna has been with the show since 1982, but unlike Pat, she decided she wasn’t ready to retire just yet.
Vanna told Variety: “I was not ready to retire. I have at least two more years with the show and we’ll see from there.”
Vanna will host for at least two years as she signed a new contract with a “significant” pay bump to turn letters until 2026.
Meanwhile, legendary host Pat isn’t gone for good, as he’ll return to Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on October 7 in his final farewell.
Wheel of Fortune airs weeknights at 7:30 p.m. Eastern – check your local listings.
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