Ryan Seacrest is officially on , and he’s given the show a big ratings win. Deadline reports, per Nielsen, that during the Season 41 premiere week ending Sept. 15, Wheel of Fortune saw its largest premiere week audience in five years. Additionally, Seacrest’s debut episode on Sept. 9 was the game show’s highest-rated season premiere audience since 2015, with a total of 9.63 million viewers, a big improvement from last season’s premiere, which only had 5.68 million viewers.
Fans weighed in on Seacrest’s t, and while many were mixed about Pat Sajak’s replacement, the majority of them were giving the American Idol host a chance. It will take some time to get used to him hosting, especially since no one can ever replace Sajak, but it seems like having Seacrest take over was the right decision. Things are a bit different on Wheel of Fortune aside from a new host, such as a new set, but it is interesting to see how well the show’s doing in its new era.
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It was revealed in June 2023 that Seacrest was tapped to be the new host of after Sajak’s retirement. There was no telling how it would go down, but it doesn’t seem to be too bad. However, there have been reports that Seacrest and Vanna White weren’t getting along too well behind the scenes. Just like for viewers, it might just take some time for White to get used to a new host. She and Sajak worked together for an awfully long time. It’s hard to just get into the rhythm with someone completely new.
Wheel of Fortune has entered a new era, and while some people may not like that Ryan Seacrest is the new host, it’s clearly working. It should be interesting to see if the ratings stay like this in the coming months as more people either start tuning in or start tuning out, depending on their preference. At the very least, if fans are missing Pat Sajak, they can always catch a rerun on TV or his final gig hosting Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on ABC’s 2024 fall schedule. It was only a matter of time before Sajak retired, and even if fans had other choices for a replacement, it’s a bit too late to get someone else.
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Mel B at the "America's Got Talent" Season 21 Red Carpet held at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on March 24, 2026 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Variety via Getty Images) -
“Reverse the Curse” – Back from tribal, tensions rise following the exit of a particularly historic player. The final five immunity challenge ends in a showdown and features one of the closest finishes the show has ever seen. Jeff reveals the outcomes of the remaining in-game fan votes and how they impact the final stage of the competition. Then, one castaway will be crowned Sole Survivor and awarded the $2 million prize, during the three-hour live season finale, on SURVIVOR 50, Wednesday, May 20 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Jeff Probst serves as host and executive producer. Pictured: Aubry Bracco Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
