Many fans are wondering whether Ryan Seacrest could be leaving Wheel of Fortune in 2025, and information from recent sources suggests that the new game show host is already in hot water. Seacrest replaced longtime host Pat Sajak in September 2024 for the syndicated version of the show, though Sajak remains as the host for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. While Seacrest’s contract lasts for several years, there are a few reasons why he might leave sooner than later.
Is Ryan Seacrest leaving Wheel of Fortune host already?
Ryan Seacrest is not yet leaving as the Wheel of Fortune host, but rumors are swirling that bosses are not pleased with his performance.
The Nielsen ratings for Wheel of Fortune dipped below Jeopardy in late January 2025, per The Sun, with Jeopardy receiving 8.4 million viewers and Wheel of Fortune getting 8.1 million. While Seacrest started off with high ratings on the show, this dip has made bosses and fans more fully appreciate Pat Sajak as the show’s host.
An insider with Closer said, “You’re starting to see what a secret weapon Pat Sajak’s understated sense of humor was for that show.” The source also criticizes Ryan for not being fast “when it comes to jokes,” which is something that “came naturally to Pat,” and recommends that Ryan “hire joke writers that can calibrate his on-air persona a little closr to Pat’s.”
Another report says that Pat Sajak is willing and ready to return as the main Wheel of Fortune host after receiving a lot of support for his appearance on the Celebrity version of the show. A special Christmas episode aired for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune in December 2024, but the rest of the season, though it has already been taped, has not aired yet. While Seacrest is locked into a two-year deal, Sajak is “waiting in the wings to take over.”
The showrunners have previously shared that they were frustrated with Seacrest’s time being split too much, with him hosting American Idol, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, and On Air with Ryan Seacrest.
Meanwhile, Vanna White’s contract also ends in 2026, and so she has no plans of leaving the show early either.
