Ryan Seacrest On Vanna White’s ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Guidance

Last year, “Wheel of Fortune” veteran Pat Sajak revealed he would be stepping down from the beloved game show after an impressive four decades and Ryan Seacrest would take over as the new host.

The “American Idol” alum filmed his first episode of “Wheel of Fortune” in July, which premiered earlier this month.

Following the airing of his debut episode, Ryan Seacrest is now discussing his relationship with Vanna White and the valuable advice she shared with him before he started his new role.

The radio talk show host kicked off his new role as host of Wheel of Fortune on September 9, and he’s already getting the hang of things, thanks to some great advice from White.

“She said, ‘Just go out there and have fun and be yourself,’ ” Seacrest told People Magazine at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Festival. “The good thing about this game show is that you get to be yourself. It has a little looseness to it. It doesn’t have to be so strict and so formatted. It has those moments of real life and humanity.”

Reflecting on the significance of the show for the contestants, Seacrest shared, “I think I know the show because I’m such a fan of the show, so you think that you know how it’s going to go, but I never realized the excitement with those contestants when they win that money.”

He added, “They walk away with $114,000, $63,000, $42,000. This is life-changing money, and it’s so incredible to see their reaction to that and they get to do it again every night.”

“Wheel of Fortune” launched its 42nd season earlier this month with a flashy new set and new host.

“I am your host, Ryan Seacrest. I still can’t believe my luck of being here with you tonight to continue this legacy of this incredible show with all of you,” the 49-year-old said after stepping out on stage. “And, of course, my good friend, Vanna White.”

“Thank you for the very warm welcome,” he continued. “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.”

“And I’m just so grateful to be invited in. I also know I’ve got some very big shoes to fill,” Seacrest said, referring to Pat Sajak’s hosting duties, though he never actually said his name. “So, let’s play ‘Wheel of Fortune.’”

Seacrest filmed his first episode of “Wheel of Fortune” in July, offering fans a glimpse of his big moment on Instagram. In a behind-the-scenes video, he expressed his excitement about taking on the iconic role, capturing his first day on set with White by his side.

“I’m still spinning with excitement!” he wrote in the caption. “I’m so excited, my heart’s pounding,” he said in the video. “The wheel may be smaller than you think — as am I,” he joked spinning the wheel for the first time. “I could not sleep last night, I was so excited. I slept okay, but still very excited for the alarm to go off.”

White revealed that she spoke with Seacrest soon after it was announced he would be taking over as host.

“I know Ryan — he is professional, he’s good at what he does, he’s kind. I think it’s going to be good. He’s such a nice guy and he loves what he does,” she said last year, per Deadline.

Seacrest later said, “I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. 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.”

New episodes of “Wheel of Fortune” air weeknights on ABC.