A new season of Wheel of Fortune has kicked off on the 2025 TV schedule, which means a second season of Ryan Seacrest as host. While not as iconic a duo as Pat Sajak and Vanna White, the new host does seem to have a good thing going with his co-host so far. The two apparently even have a strange pre-show ritual that proves they’ve got each other’s backs.
It’s kind of hard to believe we’re into our second season of Wheel of Fortune since Pat Sajak — one of the greatest game show hosts of all time — retired.. Still, it’s been kind of delightful to see the camaraderie grow between Sajak's replacement, Ryan Seacrest, and longtime letter-turner Vanna White, including the adorable “V-Dubs” nickname he gave her. White said they even have fallen into a routine before taking the stage. She told People:
Before we go out, I turn to him and say, ‘Do I have lipstick on my teeth?’
She said that he is, “of course,” honest in his response, which shows just how comfortable the two are around each other. It’s a two-way street, too, when it comes to taking care of each other’s infectious smiles. Ryan Seacrest previously revealed the super-thoughtful gift he received from Vanna White, saying:
She's so super generous and sweet and kind. She even brought me — because I was saying, I drink very strong black coffee and my teeth, sometimes you can see it — she brought me white strips. She brought me white strips. She went to the store the next day. She brought me white strips.
White strips may not be the most extravagant gift Ryan Seacrest has ever received, but isn’t it the small, practical things that sometimes mean the most?
Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest have gotten along famously from the very beginning of his stint as Wheel of Fortune’s new host. Soon after taking the job, the American Idol host confirmed White’s icon status, saying, “She’s a legend,” and exactly as lovely as you’d expect. Fans got a peek at their chemistry ahead of his debut, as well, when Wheel of Fortune posted some fun behind-the-scenes footage from a photoshoot.
It doesn’t sound like it took too long for the hijinks to start between them, either, as Ryan Seacrest apparently pranked his co-star by putting her 1996 Christmas album on for one of their pre-show meetings to see if she’d notice. (Spoiler: It took her a minute!)
It’s undoubtedly a relief to fans that Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White have gotten off to a strong start on Wheel of Fortune after rumors spread that there was trouble backstage between the two.
Check your local listings to see when Wheel of Fortune airs in your area, but now you can catch episodes the next day on streaming, with either a Hulu subscription or a Peacock subscription. You can also catch the co-hosts and their perfectly white smiles on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune at 8 p.m. ET Fridays on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu
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