Ryan Seacrest has taken over as a host on Wheel of Fortune, but Pat Sajak reportedly wouldn't have picked Ryan as his replacement, a source alleges. Ever since Ryan was selected as Pat's replacement on the show, many have wondered how the show might change. Rumors began circulating about how cohost Vanna White, 67, felt about working alongside the longtime American Idol host, 49. Recently, Vanna admitted that she was "scared" at first. However, she now thinks their "chemistry is good," she recently said on CBS Sunday Morning.
On multiple occasions, Ryan has expressed his enthusiasm about working on the show. He has also spoken highly of both Pat and Vanna.
When Ryan shared that he would be replacing Pat on Wheel of Fortune, he praised "the legendary Pat Sajak."
In a June 2023 Instagram post, Ryan addressed Pat directly, writing, "Pat, I love the way you've always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition."
However, The U.S. Sun has reported that Pat might not necessarily feel the same way about Ryan. Citing "a top-level Sony source," the outlet reported that Pat was not involved in choosing the person who would replace him on Wheel of Fortune. If he had been involved, he wouldn't have picked Ryan, the source claimed.
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"Ryan wasn't Pat's choice to replace him and Pat deliberately stayed out of that process," the source told the outlet, adding that Ryan was "utterly respectful to Pat" in order to avoid "even an ounce of tension."
"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," the source told the outlet.
On Good Morning America, Ryan discussed some of the work that he did to prepare for his new role, including watching "countless episodes" and playing "mock Wheel of Fortune games in many cities across America."
He also revealed what Pat and Vanna said to him on his first day on set. "Pat and Vanna both said to me when I first got here, the best part is you're going to meet three new people every night. And they walk away with cash!" Ryan said.
On September 6, Pat took to X to share his thoughts on this upcoming season of Wheel of Fortune, but some noticed that he didn't mention Ryan Seacrest in his post.
"This is the last night of summer reruns, although having cable and streaming services means never having to say goodbye," Pat wrote. "Looking forward to Season 5 of @celebritywof on @ABCNetwork this fall, as well as what’s coming next."
