What ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Miss About Retired Host Pat Sajak
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After a host of criticism, Wheel of Fortune fans have been coming around to supporting Ryan Seacrest as the new host.
However, that doesn’t mean they don’t miss longtime host Pat Sajak, who retired in June after 41 years of hosting the game show. Fans took to the Wheel of Fortune subreddit on Wednesday, December 11 to reflect on what they’re “missing most about Pat.”
The original poster made sure to credit Seacrest — who took over as host at the beginning of season 42 in September — as “a great replacement,” before praising Sajak for one of his go-to jokes.
The reddit user missed Sajak, 78, joking after a contestant would say “I’ll take it,” regarding their total prize winnings, by responding, “You have to, it’s in the rules.”
Others chimed in, agreeing that they miss “Pat’s sense of humor,” with one poster writing, “Those corny jokes always cracked me up!”
“I do miss some of his quips and ad libs,” another Reddit user commented, adding, “Ryan’s done this a little bit but mostly just during the contestant interviews.”
A third fan commented, “I just miss his ability to say the right words (or know when not to say anything) at all times. He was all positivity. He never made a single viewer or contestant uncomfortable even for a split second. Socially, he was perfect.”
“Pat wore that show like a fine tailored garment,” one Reddit user commented, while others praised the retired host for his ability to play up the reveal, whether contestants won or lost a big number prize.
“Ryan lacks to build suspense and just rip the bandage off and just shows them rather than Pat who build up emotion showing that he’s upset they lost a big cash prize,” another person opined.
Fans have been missing Sajak since he hosted his last episode in June, often sharing their doubts about Seacrest while comparing him to the long-running host. Sajak most recently made a return to the brand as the host of the holiday special of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on December 2.
The beloved host will return for his last hurrah on the spinoff series when Celebrity Wheel of Fortune returns in 2025. It was initially meant to air sooner, but ABC pushed the rest of the episodes to the new year so that they could prioritize Monday Night Football programming.
The official return date for the rest of the fifth season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune has not yet been announced. However, an October report from Entertainment Weekly did reveal some of the A-list names who will be joining Sajak for his final spins.
Rainn Wilson, Ellie Kemper, and Oscar Nuñez of The Office; Josh Gad, Justin Long, and Rachael Harris of New Girl; Sam Richardson, Randall Park, and Matt Walsh of Veep; and Tiffany Haddish and Regina Hall of Girls Trip are some of the famous faces who will join Sajak in the new year, with more to be announced.
Meanwhile, Seacrest has been a boon for ratings for the beloved game show, with Wheel of Fortune averaging 7.99 million viewers during the American Idol host’s first month.
During that time, the show was “the most-watched entertainment series across broadcast, cable, and syndication,” according to Nielsen data.
