The first season of Wheel of Fortune with Ryan Seacrest has wrapped, which allows us to see just how well he did on the job. And honestly, it looks like he killed it.
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It's hard to believe it's already been a season without Pat Sajak, the iconic Wheel of Fortune host who has been there for 41 seasons. With season 42 finishing, Ryan Seacrest has completed a whole season. Both Seacrest and Vanna White are slated to return for season 43.
Pat Sajak had some pretty big shoes to fill. Many were skeptical of Ryan Seacrest, but it hasn't deterred the ratings one bit.
According to TV Insider, the show averaged a whopping 7.93 million viewers. This is 74,000 more than last season. This means that Seacrest's first season brought more eyes to the screen than Sajak's final season. Which I'm sure was a result no one expected.
No because Seacrest is a bad host. I just thought more would show up just for Sajak's final season. But it looks like Seacrest has breathed more life into Wheel of Fortune.
Not only this, but Seacrest's first month gave the show its highest premiere month in three months.
But what about the celebrity branch of the show? Pat Sajak hosted the last season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, which received fewer views than the series before. With Seacrest set to host this show, too, we can expect a surge of views.
Why Ryan Seacrest Was Happy To Fill In Pat Sajak's Shoes
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan Seacrest shared his thoughts on replacing the titan that is Pat Sajak. The numbers are saying that he did a great job, but how did he feel about filling in?
"There were conversations — actually, years ago — about me doing this show, and I expressed interest even back then. 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," he explained.
It's a good thing he wasn't concerned or anxious about stepping up, as he's smashed it.
