When Ryan Seacrest was revealed to be Pat Sajak’s replacement as the host of Wheel of Fortune — one of the best game shows of all time — one thing that made Vanna White feel better about losing her colleague of 40-plus years was Seacrest’s repeated insistence that he wasn’t trying to change anything Sajak had spent decades establishing. But it turns out there is one thing that he would like to adjust, and it’s very on-brand for Seacrest.
As Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White continue to appear in syndication on the 2025 TV schedule, fans have mostly accepted the new host since he made his Wheel of Fortune debut. The co-hosts recently took WPXI Channel 11 behind the scenes of the game show, discussing the fast-paced operation that allows them to film six episodes a day, back-to-back. They shared that there’s typically a 15-minute break in between games, but that’s where Seacrest sees an opportunity for change. He joked:
I’d like 9.
Coming from someone who holds multiple major hosting gigs simultaneously, it makes sense that Ryan Seacrest would understand the value of every minute and work to maximize his time. When he’s not hosting Wheel of Fortune, after all, he’s introducing the world to budding musicians on American Idol and counting down the hits on the American Top 40 radio show.
By cutting 6 minutes out of every break, Ryan Seacrest — and Vanna White and the entire cast and crew — could technically get back a half-hour of the day. However, I have to imagine the quicker changeover might not be as easy for Seacrest’s on-air partner.
While the host does have to change his wardrobe between tapings, I'm guessing that putting on a new suit is a slightly quicker process than Vanna White’s breaktime routine.
Vanna White’s iconic outfits have been an important part of Wheel of Fortune for decades, and while trying on 20 to 30 dresses before taping starts likely makes her changing process more efficient, I am exhausted just thinking about her having only 15 minutes to get a new gown on and make any necessary hair and makeup adjustments.
Would it even be physically possible to do it in 9 minutes? And that’s not even taking into consideration what all the crew has to do to prepare for the next taping.
Filming six episodes a day does sound like a lot, but only having to work 34 days a year for an eight-figure salary is likely motivation enough to keep things moving.
With Wheel of Fortune being a well-oiled machine 42 seasons in, I doubt any significant changes are coming anytime soon, regardless of how much Ryan Seacrest wants those 30 minutes of his day back.
Check your local listings to see when Wheel Of Fortune airs in your area, and you can catch Pat Sajak hosting one last season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune at 8 p.m. ET Wednesdays on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.
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