PAT Sajak, Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White posed together on the set of Wheel of Fortune.
On Friday, the American Idol host shared the photo and an accompanying video on Instagram.
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The photo captured new Wheel of Fortune host Ryan, 49, outgoing host Pat, 77, and current co-host Vanna, 67, standing behind the wheel of the game show.
The trio smiled for the camera as retired Pat, who hosted the game show for 41 years, passed the torch to Ryan.
Ryan captioned the post: “Pat, congratulations on an amazing run with Wheel of Fortune!
“His dedication, charm and intelligence have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades. Your partnership with Vanna has been nothing short of iconic, and together you have created countless wonderful memories for viewers.”
READ MORE ABOUT RYAN SEACREST
“You’ve set the standard for hosts everywhere and this marks the end of an era. Best wishes for all your future endeavors!” concluded the American Top 40 host.
The included video showed Pat and Ryan whispering and joking on set while Vanna got into position for the photo shoot.
In the comments section, one fan wrote: “Happy retirement Pat!! Oh my goodness, so excited for Ryan!! Good choice!! I can’t wait to watch!!”
“You are THE BEST person to replace Pat Sajak. You two are my favorites,” added another.
“Good luck, Ryan! How exciting for you! Pat has been so fun to watch and seems like a really cool guy. He deserves to enjoy some time off. You’ll be amazing taking over, no doubt. Have fun.” I wanted a third.
A fourth wrote: “Ryan has big shoes to fill.”
Another fan responded, “Yes he does, but I’ve seen Ryan host so many shows so I know Ryan will do a great job as the new host of Wheel of Fortune.”
FANS CHOICE
Fans called for Pat’s daughter Maggie to take over for him after his retirement.
Longtime viewers doubt Ryan’s ability to fill the prolific game show host’s shoes and have suggested that Maggie, 29, take her father’s place.
On Thursday, before the titular host’s final episode aired, Wheel of Fortune shared a video on Instagram of Pat and her daughter talking about their time on the show and their post-retirement plans.
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In the comments, several fans suggested an alternative for Ryan as host.
“Your daughter should take over the show, why does it have to be a man!” one fan wrote.
Fans of the game show made similar comments after Pat posted a clip of him and Maggie talking about Ryan on Instagram earlier this week.
“Maggie should be the host!! I don’t know who thought Seacrest was a good option,” complained one fan.
“You are so loved. I think Maggie and Vanna should run the show. That would be amazing,” someone else suggested.
“I definitely don’t feel like they picked the right host if they wanted to keep the show on the air. Very disappointing,” lamented a third commenter.
MESSAGE ON THE GO
The last episode of Pat on Wheel of Fortune aired on Friday, June 7, 2024.
He ended his time on Wheel with an incredible personal message for viewers.
“Well, the time has come to say goodbye,” he said as he concluded the season and its four decades.
“I have some thanks and thanks before I go, and I want to start with everyone watching,” Pat began his long, graceful speech.
“It has been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade,” he said.
“What an honor to have played a small role in all of this. Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”
Wheel of Fortune Host Timeline
Although Pat and Vanna have been a fixture on the game show for decades, there have been other hosts
Chuck Woolery was the host from 1975 to 1981
He co-hosted alongside Susan Stafford (1975 to 1982)
Vanna White took over as host in 1982 and has been since then.
After a contract and salary dispute, the show got rid of Chuck and brought back Pat in 1982.
Pat hosted Susan for a season
He then left the game show in 1989 to host a late-night talk show for CBS.
For five months, NFL player Rolf Benirschke took his place
In July 1989, Bob Goen hosted the show on CBS
He hosted for a year and a half until the show was canceled in 1991
The show was then moved to ABC, with Pat and Vanna hosting for the foreseeable future.
In 2023, Pat announced his retirement and Ryan Seacrest was quickly named his replacement
“Every time we recorded a show, I met three new people from all over this wonderful country and the world who were kind and caring.
“Who cheered for each other, who were very proud to talk about their family, their hometown, their friends, their schools, their jobs and even their pets.”
“In the end, they were the real stars of this show,” he continued. “I genuinely like these people and will miss the opportunity to get to know more of them.”
He said it was a “joy” to work with the team, “everyone came together. It worked because you made it work.”
And “finally, to my other professional half, dear Vanna. Like me, she takes the show very seriously, but not herself.
“I shudder to think what this show would be like if they brought in someone full of themselves to play the prima donna role.
“Vanna is as sweet and unassuming as they come. I want to thank you for your lovely send-off on yesterday’s show.
“Although I really miss working with her, I take comfort in the fact that we live about five miles apart, so we see a lot of each other,” he said.
“But I will miss our nightly closings, her laughter and her good nature. She is a very special woman.”
“I know you’re all pleased to know she’ll be back next season.”
Pat closed, promising you’ll see more of him in summer reruns.
“And that!” he concluded. “Thank you all very much and goodbye.”
Vanna gave her a hug as the audience screamed, thus concluding Pat’s last show.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
