CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA: When Pat Sajak announced that he would be retiring as host of 'Wheel of Fortune' after decades, rumors and speculation were rife about who would replace him. It was announced on Tuesday, June 27, Ryan Seacrest will be replacing Sajak. However, the game show host predicted that Seacrest would be his successor in 2012, years before he even thought about retiring. In a video from 2012, the now 76-year-old joked about having Seacrest "on speed dial" after making a mistake on air.
In a statement, Seacrest confirmed that his new role on the show would begin from Season 42. He added that Vanna White would continue to appear on the show as his co-host, as per the Daily Mail.
'Seacrest is on speed dial'
In the said clip, Sajak can be seen appearing confused when a contestant asks for the letter "E" after landing on a "Free Play" tile. It was captioned, "Pat Sajak actually predicted Ryan Seacrest replacing him back in 2012! After he made a mistake, he joked, 'Seacrest is on speed dial.' #WheelofFortune @RyanSeacrest @PatOnWheel."
In the video, a participant asks for a vowel, to which Sajak replies, "You spun the wheel, you have to ask for a consonant." Sajak immediately recognizes his mistake and says, "Oh wait, you spun a free play, I'm an idiot. You see the way it works is if you land… Nevermind. Is there an 'E' in the puzzle?"
When another contestant spun and won a trip to Arizona later in the contest, Sajak made another blunder. Sajak acknowledged that he was "not sure" if the letter "N" was in the puzzle after the contestant asked. Sajak was heard off-screen laughing and saying, "Seacrest is on speed dial," when the woman took the piece to show that she had won the vacation.
According to Sony Pictures Television, Seacrest, who was the former host of 'Live with Kelly and Ryan', will work with the popular game show on a multi-year contract as a consulting producer. In a statement, Seacrest said, "I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna (White) on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them."
Seacrest added, "Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition."
Does Vanna White want a raise?
White's current status on the game show remains unclear though there had been rumors that she has hired legal counsel and was negotiating for a raise, which she has not had in 18 years. According to Puck News, White sought the advice of Bryan Freedman, who has defended a number of Hollywood celebrities during disputes with their TV networks. According to the publication, White has supposedly been making roughly $3M annually since 2005 and has not received a raise since.
