‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Ryan Seacrest Stuck In Pat’s ‘Long Goodbye’
Recently, Wheel Of Fortune host, Ryan Seacrest learned that he will continue to stay in Pat Sajak’s shadow for even longer. An insider gives information about how he is remaining stuck in the middle of Pat’s “long goodbye.”
Ryan Seacrest Gets His Feet Wet
One downside of taking over for the popular TV show, Wheel Of Fortune is that Ryan Seacrest is following in the footsteps of a legend. But if anyone is up to the challenge, it is Ryan. Although he has many years and several diverse jobs under his belt, he is still getting his WOF footing under him. However, just recently, Ryan learned that Pat Sajak, even though he is in retirement, is sticking around longer than expected.
Currently, Ryan Seacrest is learning the ropes as the Wheel Of Fortune host for his first season. But Pat Sajak is staying on board to host Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune one last time. While Ryan has agreed to take over as host for the celebrity spinoff as well, Pat’s last run has been delayed until 2025. Undoubtedly, this is great news for all Pat fanatics. However, it will leave Ryan in limbo as the replacement for even longer. But an insider has discussed what that looks like for Ryan.
Pat Sajak’s Stay Has Consequence For Ryan
According to The Sun, a source revealed Ryan Seacrest’s thoughts about the lingering goodbye. “You have to feel for Ryan Seacrest because he’s willing to work in Pat’s shadow for longer than he expected he would have to when he signed up to take over ‘Wheel,’” the insider reports. Furthermore, the source explains, “If Ryan negotiates a longer-term contract this year, which is expected since he’s only under a two-year deal at the moment, he’s going to have to stake a very strong claim on the primetime specials and celebrity editions.”
Unintended Benefits For Pat Sajak
Additionally, the insider says that isn’t truly fair for Ryan Seacrest. Adding, “And why shouldn’t he? Ryan has endless experience as a primetime host, his ‘Wheel’ ratings so far are amazing, and he is more experienced than Pat when it comes to bantering with celebrities on camera.” For Ryan, the waiting period is a tightrope of feelings. The insider adds, “Ryan is respectful of Pat and his legacy, but everybody involved with the show expects him to take a lot more ownership of the franchise once Pat has truly left the building once and for all.” Furthermore, Ryan understands it wasn’t his or Pat’s decision, as the source says, “ABC network decision and Sony TV.”
Consequentially, there are always priorities, “The ‘Wheel’ producers and Pat are at the mercy of the network’s schedule. Football is always going to come first. It’s the most profitable thing on television.” Additionally, Ryan Seacrest will continue with Wheel Of Fortune and his other jobs in the meantime. Even Pat Sajak would like to wrap up the airing, “Of course, Sony and Pat would prefer the episodes to air closer to when they were taped, but there is an upside here for Pat, who is suddenly a competitive force in the next game show host Emmy race after surprising everybody with his ’23-24 Emmy win earlier this fall.”
Ryan Seacrest Stuck In Pat Sajak’s ‘Long Goodbye’
Likewise, the source mentions how that can help with perceptions of Pat Sajak. They add, “It probably helps Pat to put some distance between that win and the next – and final – time voters see him in the hosting job, but this wasn’t the initial plan, and it makes Pat’s eventual exit from the franchise look like a long goodbye.’” But they don’t believe it was something Pat was plotting, “That was never the intention.”
Ryan Seacrest brought in a reported 8,310,000 viewers watching the Wheel of Fortune for the premiere week of September 9 to September 15. With those ratings, it beat out primetime competitor, Ken Jennings on Jeopardy! Undeniably, Jeopardy! still held great ratings with 7,113,000 viewers tuned in for the episodes. But it was overtaken by Ryan’s debut. For now, Ryan will have to keep working in Pat’s shadow until the dust settles with Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune.
@ryanseacrest Which @Wheel of Fortune premiere week look was your favorite?!
What do you think about Ryan Seacrest staying in the shadow of Pat Sajak longer? Do you think it is difficult living through the “long goodbye” of a legend? Are you liking Wheel Of Fortune with Ryan as the host? Drop your comments below.
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I miss Pat Sajak!
I WILL NOT WATCH AGAIN AS LONG AS RYAN SEACREST IS ON WOF!!!