After 40 years hosting “Wheel of Fortune,” Pat Sajak is retiring, prompting many to wonder who his replacement will be. Rumors suggest that Ryan Seacrest is being tapped for the role, according to Fox News. Although nothing is certain yet, Seacrest recently stepped down from co-hosting “Live! with Kelly and Ryan” in April.
But other names included in the speculation are Vanna White, Sajak’s longtime co-host, and Whoopi Goldberg, one of the co-hosts for the left-wing “The View.” Sajak announced his retirement in a tweet, saying that the 41st season of the gameshow will be his last. He added that he will say more in the coming months but joked that for now, his announcement will “keep the clickbait sites busy.”
Among the other candidates for the role, Seacrest appears to be at the top given his extensive experience. He has previously hosted “American Idol,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” and “On Air With Ryan Seacrest.” He was also mentored by Dick Clark and talked about how Clark was a big influence on him.
“Dick was an amazing broadcaster,” Seacrest said, adding that Clark was not just a “face in front of the camera” but was also making decisions behind it. He continued to say that that advice led him to produce, which he called “rewarding.”
Nevertheless, BetOnline suspects that White is being considered ahead of Seacrest. Sajak’s daughter Maggie is also being considered, according to BetOnline. White has been with Sajak for more than 40 years, first appearing alongside him in 1982. She took to social media to express her happiness at working with him for four decades.
On the other hand, Maggie joined her father in 2021 as a social media correspondent and filled in for White as a letter-turner. She wrote that it has been fun working with her father.
