Ryan Seacrest is so excited about his new job. In a video, the new cohost revealed that he "couldn't sleep" the night before his first day on Wheel of Fortune because he was so excited. Once he arrived on set, he couldn't contain his excitement and appeared to enjoy every moment. The Instagram Reel showed him spinning the wheel and praising the way it sounds. "I find it soothing," he said.
"My heart's pounding, I'm so excited," Ryan, 49, said when he arrived on set. In June 2023, Ryan announced that he would be replacing Pat Sajak on the show.
"I'm truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak," Ryan shared in a statement on Instagram at the time. "I can say, along with the rest of America, that it's been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them."
He added that he couldn't "wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White."
On Pat's last day on the show, Ryan shared a tribute to him on Instagram, writing, "Pat, congratulations on an incredible run with Wheel of Fortune! Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades."
He also noted that Pat's "partnership with Vanna has been nothing short of iconic, and together, you’ve created countless wonderful memories for viewers."
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Vanna White worked alongside Pat for more than 40 years, and she decided to stay on the show even after Pat retired. In September 2023, it was revealed that Vanna had extended her contract through the 2025-26 season. At the time, Ryan told Fortune that he "loves" Vanna White.
"I’ve known Vanna for a long time," Ryan said at the time. "We sat in important places next to each other. And I hope for nothing more than to be able to walk out on that stage and host with her."
After Ryan and Vanna began filming for the show's next season, which is scheduled to air in September, rumors began circulating about their chemistry, or lack thereof.
Daily Mail reported that an "insider" shared that Vanna doesn't connect with Ryan in the same way that she connected with Pat, which is to be expected since she worked with Pat for so many years.
But the outlet also reported that Vanna might leave the show sooner than she originally planned because of it. Later, a source told Life & Style that Vanna and Ryan "have zero chemistry" so producers have started a list of people who might be able to replace Vanna on the show in the event that she leaves.
The source told the outlet that one of the people being considered is Kim Kardashian because "Ryan wants to make the show younger and sexier."
However, on July 9, 2024, Vanna took to Instagram to share that she and Ryan are "friends on and off camera." She shared a photo of the two of them "enjoying one of our favorites, Chicken and Dumplings!"
In the video that Ryan shared on Instagram, his first day on set appeared to go well, as he skipped away from the set of the show.
