Viewers have seen Ryan Seacrest settle into his role as host on Wheel of Fortune. However, for years, audiences saw Pat Sajak take the lead. Recently, Seacrest alluded to his predecessor during a recent episode of the show.
Ryan Seacrest Joined Wheel Of Fortune Back In 2024 Following Pat Sajak’s Retirement
Sajak previously took over hosting duties on Wheel of Fortune in 1981, taking over from Chuck Woolery. He stepped down from his position on the main show in 2024.
Following this, Seacrest has taken over hosting duties on the show. Audiences were first introduced to him from his hosting duties on American Idol since its 2002 debut, remaining on both shows at this time.
At the end of the April 16 episode of the show, Seacrest shared that he had been doing some “spring cleaning” on the show. At the time, he shared that he found a box full of old Wheel of Fortune memorabilia and wedges.
Talking to Vanna White, Seacrest shared, “I had the dust buster back there and look what I stumbled upon.” White pulled out a lunchbox and a wedge that had a Bankrupt and $10,000 on it. This was the equivalent of the One Million Dollar wedge.
White herself shared, “This was the top limit way back when.” It was then that Seacrest alluded to the show’s previous cast and crew before he joined the show, back during Pat Sajak’s time.
Even indirectly, Seacrest teased, “Now, it’s a million. You guys were cheap back then, huh?” This caused the audience to burst out into laughter.
White then pulled out wedges reading “1/2 car.” She explained, “When you spun the wheel, you had to get both of these to win a car.”
The Recent Clip Had Some Fans Sharing Nostalgic Sentiments On Social Media
Seacrest assured her that he did his homework before joining the show. He teased, “Vanna, I remember. I watched Wheel of Fortune before I worked here.” In addition, the box also featured a Vanna White doll, a Jackpot wedge, a Free Spin circle, a drink koozy, and a pin.
The clip was later shared on the game show’s Instagram page. As it was captioned, “Never know what you’ll find in the Wheel of Fortune attic!”
Taking to the comments, a few fans also shared their nostalgic feelings seeing the old items. In fact, some fans wanted the return of some elements from the classic games. Some comments included:
- “Oh man, I feel so OLD. The $10K Oreo and the Jackpot wedges were on the wheel when I played. And I own the lunchbox.”
- “Ooooo, can we restore the Jackpot Round?”
- “I remember all of these!”
- “Can you guys bring back the Jackpot Wedge and Free Spin, please?”
What is your reaction to these recent items featured on Wheel of Fortune? Have you been following this story? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.
John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.
