For the first time in 41 years, "Wheel of Fortune" fans tuning into the show's 42nd season on Monday will hear the show's announcer proclaim, "Ladies and gentleman, here are the stars of our show ..." but Pat Sajak won't be among the names.
Instead, viewers of "America's Game" will see the much-anticipated debut of veteran television and radio show host Ryan Seacrest, who took over the coveted role from Sajak, 77, who retired in June after four decades on the iconic game show.
When is Ryan Seacrest's debut on 'Wheel of Fortune'?
Seacrest will be joined by co-host and longtime letter-turner, Vanna White, when the syndicated Hangman-like show makes it's debut across the nation Monday. The show will air at 7:30 p.m. EST on ABC 7 New York, following the premiere of Season 41 of quiz show Jeopardy!, hosted by Ken Jennings.
Big changes to 'Wheel of Fortune,' but not too big
Before the show's first taping in August, the studio audience went "wild" as the show debuted a new gold metal laminate-adorned set covered with 264 LED screens, according to USA TODAY , who sat down with Seacrest and White.
"It's like remodeling your home after 40 years," White said, adding that it was "just a little updated."
Fear not, old-school 'Wheel' fans. Seacrest says he doesn't plan on changing up the way the show is hosted, stating that he wanted the show to have a seamless transition that's "not jarring."
"Nothing needs to change. Just me standing there with my voice and my mannerisms, that's different enough," Seacrest told USA TODAY . He told the outlet he practiced for months with mock games and contestants.
Many other staples on the classic TV show will remain the same: Jim Thornton remains the "Wheel" announcer, buying vowels still cost $250 and the multicolored wheel spun by contestants remains unchanged after 20 years, still with its clicking noise.
White extended her contract for two years in 2023 after Sajak's retirement announcement, but there had been rumors she had considered leaving. She admitted to USA TODAY that she had a "hard decision" to make when Sajak left, questioning if she should go with him, but ultimately decided she was "not ready to retire."
White received a pay raise, several inches of foam padding discreetly placed beneath the game puzzle board area to help cushion her feet while wearing heels and has a neat new puzzle board.
White told Good Morning America in a segment that aired on Sept. 3 that she "doesn't even have to touch the letter anyone" on the puzzle board.
"This is a blank screen with a video on it, right? There's lasers up there. So, when I go to touch a letter, it catches the movement of my hand so it lights up. Isn't that crazy?," she told ABC News' Ginger Zee .
Another slight change? Sajak and White used to enter arm-in-arm from the side stage; Seacrest and White will now have a "grand" entrance behind sliding doors at center stage, according to USA TODAY.
Pat Sajak posts on social media for first time since leaving 'Wheel of Fortune'
Sajak took to X (formerly Twitter) for the first time since his June retirement to let fans know he's ready for "what's coming next."
"This is the last night of summer reruns, although having cable and streaming services means never having to say goodbye," Sajak posted Friday afternoon. "Looking forward to Season 5 of @celebritywof [Celebrity Wheel of Fortune] on @ABCNetwork this fall, as well as what’s coming next."
Sajak, as he said in his post Friday, isn't done spinning the wheel yet. He has signed on to host "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune," which will debut on Oct. 14 , according to ABC's Fall 2024-2025 Primetime TV Schedule released on Aug. 30. The celebrity edition of the show will air at the 8 p.m. timeslot with the Elizabeth Banks-hosted game show "Press Your Luck" airing after.
Email: lcomstock@njherald.com ; X (formerly Twitter): @LoriComstockNJH or on Facebook .
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Ryan Seacrest's debut on 'Wheel of Fortune' is this week. What to know
Local News
Comments / 0