New WHEEL OF FORTUNE Host Wants to Give Away $1 Million This Year
By Movieguide® Contributor
WHEEL OF FORTUNE host and long-time lover of the show Ryan Seacrest has a big goal for 2025.
The AMERICAN IDOL host wants to give away $1 million this year.
“I am always impressed and grateful for what the show has meant to me before I even started working there and what it means to so many people and generations around the country,” he said at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball on Dec. 6.
“I love giving away the money. I get so excited when people win the money, and they win a lot of money. I’m hoping to give away a million dollars in 2025,” he shared.
Former WOF host Pat Sajak announced he’d be exiting the show in June 2023. The following week, he said Seacrest would be his replacement.
“Pat, congratulations on an incredible run with WHEEL OF FORTUNE,” Seacrest shared on social media. “Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades.”
“Your partnership with Vanna has been nothing short of iconic, and together, you’ve created countless wonderful memories for viewers,” he continued. You’ve set the standard for hosts everywhere, and this marks the end of an era. Best wishes for all your future endeavors!”
When it came time for Sajak to “say goodbye,” he started by thanking the show’s viewers.
He said, “I have a few thanks and acknowledgments before I go, and I want to start with all you watching out there. It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade. I always felt that the privilege came with the responsibility to keep this daily half hour a safe place for family fun.
“No social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing I hope, just a game,” Sajak continued. “But gradually it became more than that. A place where kids learned their letters, where people from other countries honed their English skills, where families came together along with friends and neighbors, and entire generations.”
“What an honor to play even a small part in all of that,” Sajak finished. “Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”
READ MORE: THIS SHOW JUST HIT A 3-YEAR VIEWERSHIP HIGH
Brand expert Eric Schiffer previously reassured viewers that Seacrest is an ideal replacement for Sajak.
“Many people are asking, ‘Can he pull it off? Will he tank it? Will he turn off audiences?’” Schiffer said. “Ryan has a sixth sense of how to make adjustments, and the adjustment here is toning down the energy until he builds audience trust. Then, I believe he can use some of the techniques mastered on IDOL to increase engagement and grow the audience.”
“I think Ryan’s challenge will be building enough trust in the early stages to where he can bring in all of his magic to grow the brand and to grow the audience without losing legacy fans, and that’s going to come with trust and him being comfortable,” Schiffer concluded. “The star remains the game itself.”
Last month, Seacrest made a rare joke about his personal life when one of the contestants shared that she went to Disneyland for her 10th wedding anniversary.
“Is that the key to a successful marriage?” Seacrest asked her.
She replied smiling, saying, “I think so.”
“I’ll make a note if it ever happens,” Seacrest quipped to the camera.
Having been a host for four months now, Seacrest has become good friends with his co-host, Vanna White.
“She’s so super generous and sweet and kind,” Seacrest told PEOPLE.
“She even brought me — because I was saying, I drink very strong black coffee and my teeth, sometimes you can see it — she brought me white strips,” Seacrest remarked. “She brought me white strips. She went to the store the next day. She brought me white strips.” This didn’t offend Seacrest, who saw it as a generous gesture.
READ MORE: WHEEL OF FORTUNE CELEBRATES HIGHEST RATINGS SINCE 2015
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +2