Watch Pat Sajak welcome Ryan Seacrest on 'Wheel of Fortune' set with Vanna White
Pat Sajak has officially handed over the "Wheel of Fortune" host job to Ryan Seacrest.
Sajak, 77, who signed off Friday after 41 seasons hosting the syndicated word puzzle game show, welcomes Seacrest, 49, on the "Wheel of Fortune" set in a new video to be made available to local stations as a promo. Seacrest takes over as host in September, joining co-host Vanna White, who smiled happily standing next to Seacrest in the video.
"Well, this is it, Ryan. What do you think?" asks Sajak, pointing out the famed set.
Seacrest replies, "Impressive!"
White tells Seacrest, "Ryan, I think the contestants are going to love you."
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Sajak calls "Wheel of Fortune" a daily escape from the troubles of its worldwide fans. "People love this show. You're never going to find a better job," he says, before nodding to White. "And you're never going to find a better co-host."
In a video at the end of Friday's show, Sajak's 8,010th episode, the departing host thanked TV viewers.
"It's been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade," he said.
On June 6, White gave a tearful farewell to Sajak with her own video, saying, "I love you, Pat ... I don't know how to put into words what these last 41 years have meant to me. But I'm going to try. Eight thousand episodes went by like that."
In a June 9 Instagram post, Seacrest praised the departing host Sajak.
"Pat, congratulations on an incredible run with 'Wheel of Fortune'" Seacrest wrote. “Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades.”
Seacrest called the show's TV partnership with White "nothing short of iconic, and together, you’ve created countless wonderful memories for viewers. You’ve set the standard for hosts everywhere, and this marks the end of an era."