‘Wheel of Fortune’: 7 Possible Pat Sajak Replacements as Host Retires

Pat Sajak is riding off into the sunset as he retires from Wheel of Fortune after hosting the show since December 1981. However, fans of the show are already wondering who will replace him. Wheel of Fortune is a staple of syndication and will surely live on past Sajak’s run. (After all, Sajak was himself a replacement for original host Chuck Woolery.) In the day since Sajak announced his retirement, a handful of names have already popped up as possible successors.

Some people are obvious — being as they’re already involved with Wheel in some capacity. Some are throwing their own names in the pot, while others have fans bringing them up in conversation. Here are seven possible replacements for Sajak.

1.Vanna White

The first name that most people would think of to replace Sajak is none other than Vanna White. Other than Sajak, no one knows the on-camera side of Wheel of Fortune like White. She’s been the letter-turner since 1982, which gives her a nearly endless amount of cache with Wheel watchers. White as host would be an easy transition for long-time viewers who might be worried about Sajak’s exit. It doesn’t hurt that she already has experience hosting the program, briefly filling in for Sajak after his 2019 intestinal surgery.

2. Maggie Sajak

Another name popping up in the replacement discussions is Maggie Sajak, Pat’s daughter. Maggie has become a more prominent on-screen presence on Wheel of Fortune in recent years. She served as letter-turner when White filled the elder Sajak’s shoes in 2019. Afterward, Maggie transitioned into a role as the show’s Social Correspondent, which has her on-camera to host behind-the-scenes segments and other show-related packages. If she was named host, it could be easy for some regular fans to adjust to her, all while giving Wheel of Fortune a youthful new face.

3. Ryan Seacrest

Moving outside the Wheel of Fortune bubble, the first name said to be in contention is Ryan Seacrest. Bloomberg, which also broke the news of Sajak’s retirement, noted that the longtime American Idol host has been in talks with producers about the gig. However, it’s unclear how far along those discussions are. Seacrest would be an extremely safe hand to place Wheel of Fortune in, given his countless years of hosting experience on Idol, Live with Kelly and Ryan and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.

4. Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg threw her hat into the ring on Tuesday’s episode of The View. “I want that job,” the EGOT winner said. “I think it would be lots of fun.”

Goldberg has years of TV hosting experience on The View, and let’s not forget about her stints on Hollywood Squares and her own late-night talk show, aptly titled The Whoopi Goldberg Show. However, she might have already lost some Wheel of Fortune fans before even landing the gig, due to her outspoken history of commenting on current events on The View.

5. LeVar Burton

It’d be remiss for Wheel of Fortune producers not to look at LeVar Burton as a possible host. He had a huge wave of public support for his campaign to host Jeopardy!, with his guest hosting stint on the quiz show giving them an idea of his abilities in the game show format. He has cross-generational appeal, given his decades of work on TV, including his hosting work on Reading Rainbow and his acting work on Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation. While there is no word on Burton’s feelings towards Wheel, he will hopefully at least get a call from producers to gauge interest. (However, it’s worth noting he’s already attached to an in-development Trivial Pursuit game show.)

6. Xavier Woods

We’d also throw WWE Superstar Xavier Woods — a.k.a. Austin Creed — in contention for the gig. Woods is a massive Wheel of Fortune fan and recently had a chance to compete on the show’s celebrity version. It was a highlight-worthy episode, and he seemed to endear himself to the Wheel watchers. As a professional wrestler on television for nearly two decades, Woods has plenty of experience working on camera and improvising. But we’d also like to bring up his stint as a personality for G4TV. He showed he knew how to host TV and improvise with his time on the chaotic Attack of the Show!, and also got experience in the game show genre while co-hosting Arena.

7. Jon Alba

Also from the wrestling world is Jon Alba. While Alba isn’t a household name, he’s built an impressive broadcasting resume in recent years, currently serving as the co-host of the podcasts The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy and Strictly Business (with Eric Bischoff). He’s also an on-camera host for FITE. Alba threw himself into the Wheel of Fortune conversation on Monday, tweeting, “Who do I gotta talk to about hosting Wheel of Fortune?”

He added, “Real talk: hosting a game show would be an absolute dream.I had been trying to audition to host a couple different ones that were set for pilots, but COVID threw those plans off.”