When executives tapped Ryan Seacrest to host Wheel of Fortune, he knew he had gigantic shoes to fill. Pat Sajak hosted Wheel for 41 years, and many people had difficulty imagining the show without him. Sure, there were kinks to iron out initially, but Ryan Seacrest is a professional. He’s hosted American Idol for 23 seasons and has had a successful career in radio and sat alongside Kelly Ripa on Live. Now that his first year of Wheel of Fortune is behind him, Ryan Seacrest opened up with the Hollywood Reporter about how he prepared himself.
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“There were conversations — actually, years ago — about me doing this show, and I expressed interest even back then,” Ryan said. “When you look at what Pat and Vanna [White, co-host] have built over the years … they are your friends. What they’ve established is special. So that’s why I said yes.”
Ryan Seacrest Takes His Job At “Wheel Of Fortune” Seriously
He told the Hollywood Reporter he didn’t just show up one day and know what to do. He spent a long time preparing.
“It required a lot more prep than you’d think. I made flashcards for myself and, when I could, logged in remotely to watch tape-days,” Ryan Seacrest said of the beginning of his Wheel of Fortune journey. “About six months out, my producer built a little travel-friendly wheel for me so I could play in hotel conference rooms with random people.”
And just like the rest of America, Ryan Seacrest grew up with Wheel of Fortune never knowing he’d one day be the show’s host.
“We all have memories of watching ‘Wheel’ with our families,” he recalled. “I mowed lawns growing up in Atlanta just to save money to buy a Zenith TV for the kitchen so we could watch Wheel during dinner!”
This story’s featured image is by Stewart Cook/Disney via Getty Images.
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