Pat Sajak just gave his final spin on Wheel of Fortune, while hosting the show’s celebrity edition. However, fans got confused by his parting words during his last moments on the show. In addition, the network has recently shared plans for the show for its upcoming season.
Pat Sajak Appeared During A Broadway-Themed Episode Of Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune
Sajak first joined Wheel of Fortune in 1981. However, he left the series in 2024, with Ryan Seacrest taking over his role on the long-running game show.
However, Sajak still stayed on as a host on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. On June 10, he returned to the show for a Broadway-themed episode that saw Renée Elise Goldsberry, Bernadette Peters, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson take their turns at the spinning wheel. Sajak also reunited with his longtime co-host, Vanna White.
The episode was believed to be Pat Sajak’s final time hosting the show’s celebrity edition. However, his final words ended up catching fans off-guard. As he shared, “See you next time for more Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” leading fans to wonder if this really was his last episode.
An ABC press release has suggested otherwise, saying that Seacrest will soon take over hosting duties on the spin-off next season. As it read, “Ryan Seacrest makes his hosting debut on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Friday nights before ABC News’ 20/20.”
Vanna White & Ryan Seacrest Himself Also Talked About His Current Role On The Show
Sajak’s parting words were likely just in reference to the spinoff’s next season. In other words, he wasn’t saying he would be returning for more episodes.
During the episode, Sajak also had a sense of humor about what’s next for him. As he joked, “I want to thank ABC for the opportunity to host season 5 of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. I hope they’ll take a close look at my proposed primetime series, Sajak Senior Secret Agent.” After Sajak joked he would do his own stunts, this caused White to tease, “Sounds like a winner.”
Seacrest’s new role on the show appears to be successful, with the game show doing well with ratings. For her part, Vanna White also spoke with Men’s Journal back in April about Seacrest joining the show. As she shared, “Obviously, it’s a huge transition after working with someone for 41 years and someone new steps in, but the first thing Ryan said to me was, ‘I am not replacing Pat Sajak. No one can ever replace him. I’m just stepping in.’ So that kind of says it all.” White also shared she advised Seacrest to “Be yourself.”
For his part, Seacrest also recently discussed taking over Sajak’s role. Speaking with ABC7, he shared, “Let me be honest. There was a tremendous amount of pressure that I felt coming into this. It’s been built with Pat and Vanna for so many years, I just wanted people to feel comfortable and watch, and if we got a few more along the way then bonus round, right? I’m thrilled that the loyal audience has accepted what we get to do together.”
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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.