Ryan Seacrest didn’t do so bad during his inaugural season hosting Wheel of Fortune. Despite initial critics who were used to longtime host Pat Sajak’s style, the ratings are in, and Seacrest pulled in impressive numbers.
TV Insider reports that CBS Media Ventures notes the game show was up year-to-year in households and total viewers. Seacrest ended the season with 195 episodes, with Vanna White alongside him.
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Both are returning for Season 43. CBS reports that the show was “the only syndicated game show to post growth and was one of only two syndicated series to increase year to year.”
In Season 42, the show averaged 7.93 million viewers, which is 74,000 more than the previous season. In households, it was also up one percent for a 4.6 rating, coming in behind Jeopardy!
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Seacrest shared how he felt about taking over Sajak’s job. “I have a lot fun with the job, but I take the responsibility very seriously,” Seacrest shared. “We all have memories of watching Wheel with our families. I mowed lawns growing up in Atlanta just to save money to buy a Zenith TV for the kitchen so we could watch Wheel during dinner!”
He also spoke about his extensive prep for the gig. “It required a lot more prep than you’d think,” Seacrest revealed. “I made flashcards for myself and, when I could, logged in remotely to watch tape-days. About six months out, my producer built a little travel-friendly wheel for me so I could play in hotel conference rooms with random people.”Season 43 of Wheel of Fortune is expected to premiere in September 2025.
White has been on the show for over 40 years and spoke about how shocking it is that people still tune in. “It’s actually surprising to me,” she says. “I think when you’ve been on TV for 40 years, people do see you and it’s like, ‘Oh yeah, she looks familiar!’” Parade reports.
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NEW YORK CITY – DECEMBER 19: "Toil and Trouble" – Elsbeth is thrown into the world of television after the showrunner of a long-running police procedural is brutally murdered in his office, and although it appears to be the act of a disgruntled fan, she begins to suspect the show's longtime star Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf) who yearns for artistic fulfillment. Meanwhile, Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson) continues to be a thorn in Elsbeth's side, on the CBS original series ELSBETH, Thursday, Dec. 19 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). Pictured (L-R): Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni and Carra Patterson as Kaya Blanke. (Photo by Michael Parmelee/CBS via Getty Images)
