Ryan Seacrest’s time as host of Wheel of Fortune, which started in September 2024, has been surrounded by a lot of speculation about how long he will stay. Although there’s no official word on when he might leave, several factors make his future with the popular game show uncertain.
One major factor is his contract with ABC. It’s reported to be a multi-year agreement, but details about its length differ, with The Sun reporting that it might only cover two years. This relatively short term raises questions about the possibility of him exiting in 2025. The lack of clarity surrounding his contract adds to the uncertainty, especially in light of other elements.
Ratings during Seacrest’s hosting were almost immediately compared to those of his predecessor, Pat Sajak. Initially, Seacrest had strong ratings, but a recent drop below those of Jeopardy! in late January 2025 has sparked concerns about how viewers are responding to his hosting. This decline, per Radar Online, comes after an early surge in audience numbers and shows a possible change in viewer interest.
Is Ryan Seacrest out as the host of Wheel of Fortune?
That’s hard to back up, as new hosts tend to draw in more viewers at first. This is the audience trying to get an opinion of the new host and their style. So the drop would generally be normal, as those who weren’t fans to begin with likely would have just watched to see how Seacrest did.
The option of Pat Sajak returning to the show adds to the speculation. Reports suggest that Sajak, who left in 2024, wants to come back. After a guest appearance on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, he seems to feel supported by fans and is reportedly unhappy with how he left. The exact reasons for his departure are unclear, but it appears there were disagreements with show leadership before his exit.
Additionally, the growing involvement of Maggie Sajak, Pat Sajak’s daughter, introduces more complexity. She has become more active on social media for the show, leading to guesses that she could be set up as a future host if a position opens up. This aligns with the uncertainty regarding Seacrest’s contract.
Criticism of Seacrest’s hosting style has also surfaced. There are reports of negative feedback from viewers and concerns from show leadership are contributing to the ongoing discussion about his role. Finally, Seacrest’s many other commitments — like hosting American Idol, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, and On Air with Ryan Seacrest — might affect his focus and performance on Wheel of Fortune. However, that is more speculation, as only those behind the scenes know if he’s doing poorly there.
Unfortunately, there’s no clear answer about Seacrest’s future on Wheel, the combination of a potentially brief contract, changing ratings, the possibility of Pat Sajak’s return, Maggie Sajak’s increasing involvement, criticisms of Seacrest’s hosting style, and his other work commitments create significant uncertainty. His future likely depends on his performance as host throughout 2025. This may be a case where the next few months are likely to provide more insight into the show’s future and Seacrest’s role in it.
If he can’t meet the responsibilities or just isn’t well-liked, there may be changes before the times that are thought of. However, if he starts to soar in the ratings, there is no doubt that a contract favoring Seacrest will likely appear.
Published: Mar 21, 2025 3:16 PM UTC