After Pat Sajak announced he will be stepping down from Wheel of Fortune, speculation has already begun about who will replace the veteran host.
One possible candidate could be Ryan Seacrest, with some outlets claiming the daytime presenter is already in ‘early talks’ for the role.
Whilst there’s been no formal confirmation from his reps, the 48-year-old has a strange connection to the game show that might make him the perfect successor.
If you are unfamiliar with Wheel Of Fortune, the US game show is essentially a televised version of Hangman but with cash prizes.
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Sajak was originally hired to host the beloved game show back in 1981, and 41 seasons later the veteran presenter announced he would be leaving after the next series.
In a statement to Bloomberg, the 76-year-old told fans: “Well, the time has come,” the veteran host tweeted: “I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last.”
“It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all,” he added – sharing a similar statement on Twitter.
Despite being on the air for so long, the show hasn’t diminished in popularity, with fans regularly tuning to local to stations to watch.
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In fact, the long-running game show is one of the most-watched programmes in the US – drawing over 7.72 million viewers in May.
Now owned by Sony Group Corp, a spokesperson said that the corporation was ‘incredibly grateful and proud’ to have had Sajak as a host.
However, Sony’s executive vice president for games shows, Suzanne Prete, refused to comment on long-term plans for the show.
Nevertheless, Bloomberg has claimed that Seacrest is one of the possible candidates to replace the veteran host and is in early talks to take on the role.
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Whilst this is still unconfirmed, speculation continues to grow as the 48-year-old stepped down from presenting his titular daytime show with Kelly Ripa, Live with Kelly and Ryan.
According to TMZ, the American Idol presenter has another link to the game show – which might make him the ideal replacement.
The tabloid claims that Seacrest was a friend of Merv Griffin, the creator of Wheel of Fortune and the man who also hired Sajak for the show.
Despite this, other outlets have suggested that Sajak’s daughter, Maggie, could take over the hosting gig as the 28-year-old already stepped in for co-star, Vanna White, back in 2019.
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UNILAD have contacted Seacrest’s representatives, but they declined to comment.
Topics: Celebrity, US News, Film and TV