Ryan Seacrest 'Reeling With Regret' After Taking Over 'Wheel of Fortune' From Pat Sajak: 'It’s a Dumpster Fire of Fan Hatred'
Ryan Seacrest is reportedly regretting his decision to take over for Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune.
Oct. 3 2024, Published 2:00 p.m. ET
Ryan Seacrest is said to have major buyer's remorse for taking on hosting duties on Wheel of Fortune after receiving criticism from fans after only a few days on the job.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the American Idol host is telling friends he may have made a "major mistake" in trying to fill the shoes of popular longtime host Pat Sajak.
The source said: "Ryan is seriously feeling the pressure and wondering if there's just no winning this fight.
"Everything he tries on the show seems to spark an outcry, and he's already fed up with the fan backlash.
"He's getting the very distinct impression nothing will make them happy short of Pat coming out of retirement and hosting the show again."
Pat Sajak reportedly tried to stay out of the process of finding his replacement.
Viewers have high expectations for Seacrest, 49, because he makes $28million a year – which is $13million more than Sajak.
During Sajak's final months at the helm, Wheel also took a tumble in the ratings.
The source said: "Ryan feels a ton of pressure because of his salary and the expectations that producers have set.
"He feels like the whole thing is weighing him down and wrecking his reputation. It's also taking time away from his American Idol duties and his recent foray into launching a cooking show.
"In short, it's a real dumpster fire."
Seacrest walked onto the Wheel of Fortune set with Vanna White for the first time on September 9.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Seacrest wasn't too worried about ratings being down prior to his takeover on September 9.
The insider said: "Ryan's trying to sugarcoat this and say it's good news, that the only way is up since Pat's ratings were down.
"But the bosses are worried it's a freefall that might not be automatically reversible just by hiring a new host."
Some of Seacrest's concerns should have been alleviated when his premiere saw a 57% jump in the ratings compared to last season.
But fans still voiced their concern after Seacrest failed to mention Sajak by name during his opening remarks and his "lack of chemistry" with co-host Vanna White.
Seacrest acknowledged he had "big shoes to fill" but did not mention Sajak by name during his Wheel of Fortune debut.
Fans also took issue with puzzles seemingly aimed at millennials, a gaudy new set and contestants who sparked allegations they may have been coached.
One viewer complained: "It seems like a fake game show. I'm not going to continue watching if it keeps like this."
Another complained Seacrest's version of the show left them "dizzy and overwhelmed".
Vanna White and Pat Sajak hosted Wheel of Fortune from 1982 to 2024.
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Sources note Wheel seems to suddenly be targeting a younger audience by awarding the trendy health drink kombucha as a prize and using a puzzle whose answer involved a song by millennial mainstay Dua Lipa.
One critic claimed: "They're targeting younger (people) I think."
All of the viewer's concerns add up to Seacrest second-guessing his decision to host Wheel of Fortune.
The insider added: "He thinks he may have made a tremendous miscalculation and it could have dire ramifications for him."
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