Drew Carey refrained from giving hosting advice to Ken Jennings and Ryan Seacrest for a special reason
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Stepping into the shoes of a legendary game show host is no small feat, but Drew Carey knows the drill.
However, when it came to offering advice to Ken Jennings and Ryan Seacrest—who recently took over 'Jeopardy!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' respectively—Carey took a hands-off approach.
'The Price Is Right' host Drew Carey reflects on Bob Barker’s advice
“Ryan Seacrest certainly doesn’t need my advice!” Drew Carey told TV Insider, reasoning why he chose to not give Ken Jennings and Ryan Seacrest any advice.
Instead, he reflected on the wisdom he received from the late host of 'The Price Is Right', Bob Barker, when he took over in 2007.
“I think Bob [Barker] gave me the best advice. He said, ‘You have to make the show your own, and don’t try to copy me.’ And he’s right,” Carey shared.
“Ken Jennings is doing his own thing. He should do his own thing. Ryan Seacrest has been in the hosting business forever. He knows how to make it his own thing and have it come from himself authentically," Carey explained.
With decades of experience between them, Jennings and Seacrest are no strangers to the spotlight.
Ken Jennings becomes full-time 'Jeopardy!' host after Mayim Bialik's departure
Ken Jennings, a 'Jeopardy!' champion-turned-host, officially took over the reins of the show in December 2023, following the death of Alex Trebek in 2020.
After serving as a guest host and later co-hosting with Mayim Bialik, Jennings secured the role full-time.
As per Entertainment Weekly, Jennings' full-time position happened when in May, Bialik chose to step away from her hosting role in support of the Writers Guild of America strike.
As a member of SAG-AFTRA, she later found herself part of the actors' union strike, which began in July.
At the time of Bialik’s departure, only one week of filming remained for Season 39 of 'Jeopardy!'.
Now, the long-running trivia show is gearing up for its 40th season, set to premiere in September, alongside the return of 'Celebrity Jeopardy!'
Meanwhile, 'Jeopardy! Masters' is expected to air in spring 2024.
Back in 2023, Jennings also faced criticism for continuing to host the show amid the strike.
When a social media user accused him of crossing the picket line and claimed that Trebek would "NEVER" do the same, Jennings responded with a screenshot showing that Trebek had, in fact, continued hosting during the 2007-2008 writers' strike.
Ryan Seacrest's warm welcome from Pat Sajak and Vanna White after 'Wheels of Fortune' takeover
Meanwhile, Ryan Seacrest was tapped as Pat Sajak’s successor in 2023, taking over in September 2024 after Sajak’s four-decade run on 'Wheel of Fortune'.
On his first day, Seacrest received a warm welcome from Sajak and longtime co-host, Vanna White.
“Pat and Vanna both said to me when I first got here, ‘The best part is you’re going to meet three new people every night, and they walk away with cash!’” he shared on 'Good Morning America'.
Though stepping into a beloved show can be daunting, Seacrest made it clear he won’t be reinventing the wheel—literally.
“Don’t make any changes. Don’t touch it. This show works,” he said. “All I need to do is keep it moving. And all we need to do is have fun every night. If that happens, then I think this show continues for a long time.”
