It’s official: Pat Sajak is passing the Wheel of Fortune torch to—drumroll, please—Ryan Seacrest.
Today, the American Idol personality, 48, announced that he’s taking over as host of Wheel of Fortune. Seacrest shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, where he described how honored he is to replace Sajak, 76, after 41 seasons.
“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 on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them,” Seacrest wrote. “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.”
Seacrest continued, “Many people probably don’t know this but one of my first jobs was hosting a little game show called Click for Merv Griffin 25 years ago so this is truly a full circle moment for me and I’m grateful to Sony for the opportunity.”
The announcement came just two weeks after Sajak confirmed that he will take his final spin on Wheel of Fortune. “Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” he said. “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!”
It’s the end of an era.
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