The producer of Wheel of Fortune, one of the US’s longest-running and most-watched television gameshows, is taking a spin on Ryan Seacrest as its new host.
Seacrest will succeed the veteran presenter Pat Sajak, 76, at the end of the current season – or, in the UK, series. Sajak announced earlier this month that the show’s 41st season, which begins in September, will be his last.
Seacrest, 48, is already a familiar face on American screens as well as one of the industry’s highest-paid stars. He has hosted American Idol since its inception in 2002, picking up multiple Emmy nominations, and has produced or presented ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve for 18 consecutive years.
He is perhaps best known for his years as executive producer and co-host of the network’s Live With Kelly and Ryan, a role from which he stepped down after six years in April. His multiple absences from the show due to “exhaustion” created tensions with others on the set, the celebrity news website Page Six reported in February.
He was also accused in 2018 of sexual harassment by a personal stylist while they worked together on E! News. Seacrest chose to publicize the allegation after being contacted by her attorney, calling the claim “reckless”. E! later announced that an investigation had found “insufficient” evidence of wrongdoing.
According to the New York Times, the decision by Sony Pictures Entertainment, the producer of Wheel of Fortune, to hire Seacrest is “a big bet” on the show in an era when streaming television platforms have eaten into the audiences of broadcast networks.
It also appears to be an attempt, the newspaper says, to avoid protracted wrangling over a replacement host – such as what happened to Jeopardy!, another of ABC’s hit gameshows, after the death of its longtime presenter Alex Trebek in 2020.
Jeopardy!’s producers were condemned for trialing a succession of hopefuls before eventually deciding on co-hosts, one of which, producer Mike Richards, later withdrew when past controversies resurfaced. Former champion Ken Jennings and actor Mayim Bialik now share hosting duties.
“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Seacrest said in a statement. “I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White.”
White, 66, became hostess of Wheel of Fortune in 1982, and has one year left on her contract, the Times reported.
