Ryan Seacrest's recently announced role as the incoming host of Wheel of Fortune has received the seal of approval from fans of the game show, according to new poll figures.
In June, TV personality Pat Sajak, 76, announced on Twitter that he was departing the role he has held since 1981 after the show's 41st season, which starts in September.
Several days later, and after much speculation—which included The View's Whoopi Goldberg publicly throwing her hat into the ring—it was announced that Seacrest, 48, had landed the coveted role as Sajak's successor.
And while there were grumblings on social media in the days after the announcement, it would appear that the viewing public is very much onboard with welcoming Seacrest as Wheel of Fortune's host, new polling for Newsweek by Redfield & Wilton Strategies shows.
Of the 1,500 American adults polled online on July 6, 34 percent declared themselves to be Wheel of Fortune viewers. Of that group, a total of 88 percent said that they were very familiar, fairly familiar, or somewhat familiar with the Seacrest hosting news.
When asked if they would support or oppose Seacrest replacing Sajak, 53 percent said they backed Seacrest for the position (22 percent strongly supported the move, while 31 percent voiced support).
On the other end of the scale, 4 percent strongly opposed Seacrest at the helm of the famed wheel, while 3 percent opposed. A further 33 percent neither supported nor opposed the appointment, 5 percent didn't care, and 1 percent didn't know.
Seacrest's approval for the job stands strongest among those in the 35-44 age category, where 67 percent backed him. This was followed by 18-24 (59 percent), 25-34 (56 percent), 45-54 (50 percent), 65+ (50 percent), and 55-64 (43 percent).
The TV personality faced the most opposition from those aged 25-34 (13 percent), followed by 18-14 (9 percent), 65+ (8 percent), 55-64 (6 percent), 35-44 (5 percent), and 45-54 (4 percent).
In announcing his new hosting role, Seacrest wrote in an Instagram post last month: "I'm truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it's been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna [White] on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them."
"Pat, I love the way you've always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease," TV and radio personality Seacrest added. "I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition."
Days earlier, Sajak announced his retirement in a Twitter post, writing: "Well, the time has come. I've decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It's been a wonderful ride, and I'll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it'll keep the clickbait sites busy!)"
The news led to fans speculating about who they wanted to see replace Sajak in the role. Favorites included the game show host's daughter, Maggie Sajak, who joined Wheel of Fortune as its social correspondent in 2021, and the show's co-host Vanna White, who has four decades of experience on the show and served as lead host for three weeks in 2019 as Pat Sajak recovered from surgery.
Shortly after the announcement, it was revealed that Pat Sajak will remain part of the working Wheel of Fortune family for at least three years after he steps down as host.
In a statement to the media, Suzanne Prete, executive vice president of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, said Sajak would continue working on the show as a consultant.
"As the host of Wheel of Fortune, Pat has entertained millions of viewers across America for 40 amazing years," Prete said. "We are incredibly grateful and proud to have had Pat as our host for all these years and we look forward to celebrating his outstanding career throughout the upcoming season."
She added: "Pat has agreed to continue as a consultant on the show for three years following his last year hosting, so we're thrilled to have him remaining close to the Wheel of Fortune family!"
Pat Sajak's announcement ends an era in which he became a mainstay on American TV, alongside Wheel of Fortune's White, who joined the show in 1982. Sajak took the reins from Chuck Woolery, who hosted the show when it first launched in 1975.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
