Skip to Content Facebook Feature Image

Ryan Seacrest debuts as new ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host

ENT

Ryan Seacrest debuts as new ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host
ENT

ENT

Ryan Seacrest debuts as new ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host

2024-09-10 11:29 Last Updated At:11:40

LOS ANGELES (AP) — For the first time in almost 8,000 episodes, “Wheel of Fortune” did not open with a hello from longtime host Pat Sajak.

Ryan Seacrest stepped into Sajak’s shoes after his 41-year tenure as host of the famed game show, joining co-host and letter turner Vanna White. Seacrest, a familiar television and radio presence known for hosting “American Idol,” New Year’s Eve programming and a long-running radio show, debuted as the series’ new host Monday night.

“I still can’t believe my luck being here with you tonight to continue this legacy of this incredible show with all of you, and, of course, my good friend Vanna White,” Seacrest said as he opened the show. “Thank you for the very warm welcome.”

In a brief opening monologue before the gameplay began, Seacrest acknowledged Sajak’s impact as host and his retirement at the end of the 41st season. Sajak won his fourth Emmy Award for best game show host for his final season Saturday at the Creative Arts Emmys.

“Hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is a dream job. I’ve been a fan of this show since I was a kid watching it in Atlanta with my family, and I know how special it is that ‘Wheel’ has been in your living rooms for the past 40 years,” he said. “I’m just so grateful to be invited in. I also know I’ve got some very big shoes to fill, so let’s play ‘Wheel of Fortune.’”

In his first episode, Seacrest brought an energetic spirit and his classic good-humored nature. In a departure from his predecessor, he did not use cue cards to speak with contestants Corina, Terry and Cindy about their backgrounds.

Beyond the obvious change of Seacrest taking over for Sajak, the premiere of the 42nd season also showcased some aesthetic adjustments.

The colorful wheel and the iconic puzzle board remain largely the same, although White did get upgraded to a motion sensor board in 2022 to celebrate the 40th season. The stage has been updated and now features golden wheels and spokes in a more modern, sleek design.

Seacrest asked White how she liked the new stage during the hallmark banter the host and letter turner share to close the show. White said there were “a lot of lights, a lot of action,” and Seacrest quipped that he hoped it would continue working through his first week.

Seacrest told The Associated Press in a recent interview “the scale of the set was pretty impressive” to him when he first stepped on set.

The shooting schedule is still as fast-paced as ever, with Seacrest saying that while it may be busy to shoot multiple episodes per day, it makes it convenient for his packed schedule of other hosting duties.

Many of the familiar elements of the show are just as they were when Sajak left the series. White still wears a formal gown, Seacrest sported a suit and tie like Sajak did, the recognizable sound effects and “devices” contestants use to play are the same. The culture behind the scenes also seems to have remained as genial as the 30-minute episodes.

“I’ve also have been impressed with how close the family is that works on ’Wheel of Fortune,’ the production team that puts it together. It’s a lot of people,” Seacrest said in an interview at an event with White promoting the new season. “They’re really a family and they have a lot of respect for every single person, what they do on the show, and that’s special.”

White added that one staff member who started on the show when she was 18 now has kids who are graduating from college. “We’ve been together a long time,” she said.

Producer Liam McEwan contributed to this report.

FILE - Ryan Seacrest arrives at an "American Idol" Season 22 Top 10 tastemaker event, Monday, April 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Ryan Seacrest arrives at an "American Idol" Season 22 Top 10 tastemaker event, Monday, April 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday named a veteran agent to serve as acting FBI director after the official who'd been expected to run the bureau on an interim basis following the departure of Christopher Wray retired after nearly 30 years.

Brian Driscoll was tapped to lead the FBI pending the Senate confirmation of Kash Patel, who is President Donald Trump's pick for director. The move came hours after Paul Abbate, who served for the last four years as Wray's deputy and had been in line to serve as acting director, told colleagues in an email that he was retiring.

"When the Director asked me to stay on past my mandatory date for a brief time, I did so to help ensure continuity and the best transition for the FBI. Now, with new leadership inbound, after nearly four years in the deputy role, I am departing the FBI today,” Abbate wrote in the email, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

Abbate's abrupt departure after a 28-year FBI career creates additional transition for a law enforcement agency that had already been preparing for upheaval in the event Patel is confirmed. A Trump loyalist, Patel has repeatedly criticized FBI leadership and decision-making and has alarmed Democrats with statements that suggest he would be willing to use the FBI to exact retribution on Trump adversaries.

Abbate's email did not identify who might succeed him, but the White House included Driscoll on a list of officials being tapped to lead agencies on an acting basis. Driscoll was named by Wray last week as special agent in charge of the Newark field office and before that had served as commander of the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team.

“We will work closely with the current FBI leadership team and the transition team at the Department of Justice to serve as a bridge between the FBI’s previous permanent leadership team and the next one,” Driscoll wrote in an email to colleagues. “In the meantime, our goal is to keep the focus on the Bureau’s essential work, those we do the work with, and those we do the work for — the American people.”

He said Robert Kissane, a top counterterrorism official in the New York office, will serve as acting deputy director.

Wray's final day was Sunday, making Abbate acting director, though he only stayed in the role for a day.

Abbate held a variety of leadership roles in his nearly three-decade career at the FBI, including head of the bureau's Detroit and Washington field offices and executive assistant director for the criminal, cyber, response and services branch. He was named deputy director, the No. 2 position responsible for the FBI's investigative activities, in 2021.

“As you move forward, continue to stay true to our core values, be there for our partners, and take care of those who serve alongside you. Thank you for your service,” Abbate wrote.

Wray was named by Trump during his first term and had been director for more than seven years. Wray announced his retirement last month, more than a week after Trump said he wanted Patel to be the director.

FILE - Paul Abbate, Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), testifies during a Senate Judiciary Oversight Committee hearing to examine Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and related surveillance authorities, June 13, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

FILE - Paul Abbate, Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), testifies during a Senate Judiciary Oversight Committee hearing to examine Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and related surveillance authorities, June 13, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be the director of the FBI, poses for a photo with Cabinet picks, other nominees and appointments, at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be the director of the FBI, poses for a photo with Cabinet picks, other nominees and appointments, at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks during a farewell ceremony for Attorney General Merrick Garland at the Department of Justice, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks during a farewell ceremony for Attorney General Merrick Garland at the Department of Justice, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Recommended Articles
Hot · Posts