PAT Sajak didn’t have a say in his Wheel of Fortune replacement but wouldn’t have chosen Ryan Seacrest if he did – a studio source told The U.S. Sun.

The iconic game show’s new era starts this Monday as Ryan, 49, replaces the host of 41 years and takes the stage with Vanna White, 67.

Pat Sajak seen during one of his last Wheel of Fortune episodesCredit: Wheel of Fortune

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Ryan Seacrest seen standing in front of the brand-new set as he takes over as hostCredit: Instagram/ ryanseacrest

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Pat and Ryan chatting while filming a commercial spot earlier this summerCredit: Wheel of Fortune
Pat, 77, announced his retirement from Wheel of Fortune in June 2023, and just weeks later, the American Idol fixture was named his successor.

Now, Ryan’s time to shine is finally here, with the premiere of Season 42 on Monday, September 9.

Millions of viewers will decide how Ryan will be as host alongside TV royalty Vanna.

However, a top-level Sony source shared that Ryan didn’t get much help for the big gig in a mentor-mentee relationship with Pat.

‘DID NOT WANT TENSION’

“Ryan wasn’t Pat’s choice to replace him and Pat deliberately stayed out of that process,” they said.

“Ryan was extremely smart when he took the job to be utterly respectful to Pat at every turn.

“Ryan did not want there to be even an ounce of tension between them.

“Ryan acts like he has Pat’s support and for now, that helps him [Ryan] enjoy this honeymoon period, where the fans are going to decide if he’s a good fit for the show.”

“But it could certainly be a different story a year from now, especially if there’s erosion in the ratings.”

Ryan graciously paid tribute to Pat for his “dedication, charm, and wit” in an Instagram statement when the TV legend’s last episode aired on June 7, 2024.

Ryan Seacrest’s Current Jobs

Ryan Seacrest is quite the workaholic, with the Hollywood multiphenate juggling perhaps more ongoing jobs than any other A-lister:

-Host of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on ABC
-Host of American Top 40 on KIIS-FM
-Host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest on KIIS-FM
-Host of American Idol since its very first season in 2001
-Host of Wheel of Fortune as of 2024

Ryan has exited many previous roles in the past few years to get where he is today, including as an executive producer of Hulu’s The Kardashians and co-host of Live! with Kelly and Mark.

Hard work pays off; according to Celebrity Net Worth, Ryan’s worth a fortune of $450 million

“You’ve set the standard for hosts everywhere, and this marks the end of an era.”

However, the pair has spent limited time on-set together even as Pat filmed one last season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune to fulfill his contract, which airs this fall.

Other than a brief commercial spot where Pat told Ryan you’ll “never find a better job or co-host,” they haven’t overlapped much.

Pat also penned a statement on Friday, September 6, bidding his “goodbye” to fans, but did not mention Ryan in his message.

The source did not share who Pat had in mind for his replacement, though many fans have backed his daughter, Maggie Sajak, who is currently a social media correspondent.

Pat is keeping a watchful eye on the transition as a consulting producer for the next three years.

‘CAREFUL’ AROUND VANNA

Meanwhile, there have been burning questions about Ryan’s and Vanna’s chemistry, given that she’s only ever hosted with her great pal Pat.

Vanna has admitted she strongly considered retiring as well but ultimately extended her contract for two years after Pat’s retirement announcement.

“Ryan and Vanna have known each other casually for years,” the source continued.

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Ryan Seacrest playfully poses with a cardboard cutout of Pat SajakCredit: Instagram/ryanseacrest

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Ryan, Vanna White, and a distant Pat Sajak when they all filmed a brief commercial spotCredit: Wheel of Fortune
“And at the moment, when Ryan has only really completed a handful of taping days, Vanna is his most important ally on the show, and they are both bending over backward to get along and get through this transition without any speed bumps.”

The source added that since Ryan is so busy, he hasn’t spent enough time on set to rub anyone the wrong way.

“But the flip side of that is that Ryan isn’t really around enough to step on anybody’s toes, including Vanna.

“It’s a very ‘plug-and-play’ arrangement for Ryan in the sense that when he shows up for the tapings, everything is laid out for him and he is able to improvise pretty smoothly over the written material.

“But when the tapings are wrapped, Ryan is out of there and not lingering around or second-guessing his choices on camera.

Ryan isn’t really around enough to step on anybody’s toes, including Vanna. when the tapings are wrapped, Ryan is out of there.

The U.S. Sun source

“Because of her status as a veteran of the ‘Wheel’ universe, Vanna still has a lot of ownership over the show and its whole vibe, and when Ryan is taping, he’s been careful to follow her lead and of course, his mantra from day one has been to put the contestants above everything else.

“So far, he and Vanna are managing that process, but there’s really only been about eight weeks of production on this new version of the show so far.

“Let’s see where they are a year from now!”

HIS OWN SPIN

While there are also doubts from fans that Ryan will live up to Pat, he’s shown early signs he’s taking the role very seriously.

The New York Times reported that, unlike Pat, Ryan doesn’t use cue cards during his contestant intros and has memorized everything for the interview segments—he also doesn’t need a teleprompter.

A studio source previously told The U.S. Sun that Ryan’s host style is vastly different from Pat’s overall – and he’s worked tirelessly for this.

“Ryan is simply not doing the low-key version of the show that Pat did,” the source said.

“He’s brought every bit of his ‘hype-beast’ morning radio and New Year’s Eve energy to the production of his first episodes.

“It’s a pretty big shift and an obvious grab for a younger generation of viewers than Pat had.

“Ryan just makes the whole Wheel experience feel hipper, faster and less sleepy than the version of the show that Pat did for all those years.”

“God knows how many old episodes of Wheel he watched, but he really prepared for this gig.”

WHEEL CHANGES

Of course, with new host Ryan on the main show comes a number of drastic changes: one being an all-new set.

The stage is now blue-toned with a golden wagon wheel throughout, and Vanna has a new laser-controlled puzzle board that she recently called “crazy.”

The puzzle board is ensconced in gold laminate as a purposeful throwback to the 1980s set.

The puzzle-presenting pair will also walk through a brand-new stage door instead of a side door, making for a grander entrance.

Fans will see all the changes in action when the new season premieres, as the show has been very secretive about teasing too much.

That said, the iconic centerpiece wheel isn’t changing —the same one has been used for 20 years.

“There is no other wheel,” Suzanne Prete, the head of game shows at Sony, told The New York Times.

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The redesigned WoF set has a new puzzle board and grand co-host entranceCredit: Instagram

‘SEAMLESS, NOT JARRING’

As the hype around Ryan’s debut grows, he also told USA Today he hopes fans take to him.

“Nothing needs to change. Just me standing there with my voice and my mannerisms, that’s different enough,” says Ryan.

The outlet shared he practiced mock games with mock contestants for months on end.

“I want the audience to feel like this is the right decision. I want (the show) to be something that’s not jarring, that’s seamless.”

Season 42 of Wheel of Fortune premieres Monday, September 9, at 7 pm Eastern.

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Pat Sajak tearfully hugs an equally tearful Vanna White on his June 7, 2024, finaleCredit: Wheel of Fortune

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Pat Sajak and Vanna White pose together in the 1990sCredit: AP

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Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White’s WoF era begins this Monday, September 9Credit: Wheel of Fortune