Former 'Wheel of Fortune' host Pat Sajak 'desperate to get back' on show despite retiring this year
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA: Pat Sajak might have bid farewell to 'Wheel of Fortune' earlier this year, but it seems the legendary host isn’t quite ready to stay retired.
Sources say Pat is making it known that he’d love to reclaim his spot on the iconic game show, raising eyebrows and even a bit of tension with his successor Ryan Seacrest.
A farewell Pat Sajak never wanted?
An insider spilled to Radar Online, “Pat got an amazing show of support when he was on 'Celebrity Wheel of Fortune' recently, and it’s fired up his desire to host the main show again. Maybe not right now, but in a couple of years? He’d absolutely do it.”
Turns out, Pat never wanted to leave the show in the first place. According to the insider, “The truth is, they forced his hand, and now he wants his old job back.” In the meantime, however, he’s content with dipping his toes into part-time gigs like hosting 'Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'.
But don’t think Pat is just biding his time for nothing. The source claims he’s convinced Ryan won’t stick around for long. "Ryan may have a multiyear deal, but Pat doesn't think Ryan will be able to stick with it for the long term and he'll be waiting in the wings to take over," they said.
Ryan Seacrest feels Pat Sajak's 'wasting his time'
Unsurprisingly, Ryan Seacrest isn’t exactly thrilled about Pat Sajak’s apparent comeback aspirations. The insider shared, "Ryan thinks Pat's pathetic and is being a sore loser. His [Ryan's] ratings are great, he's getting paid big bucks and he's getting along with Vanna (White) better than ever. The way Ryan sees it, Pat doesn't have a chance and is wasting his time."
And while Pat has his loyal fans, Ryan’s star power is undeniable. The source added, "For every fan who's missing Pat, there are more people who like what Ryan's doing on Wheel. Sure, the first week was bumpy, but Ryan's gotten the hang of it and is bringing his own style to the show. Furthermore, there was a reason why Pat lost the gig. He blew it."
When Pat said goodbye during his final episode on June 7, he kept things classy and avoided addressing any controversies. Instead, the 78-year-old expressed gratitude. “I’ve always felt [this job] came with a responsibility to keep this daily half-hour a safe place for family fun... Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”
But despite that farewell, Pat isn’t quite ready to fade into the background. He’s banking on fans forgiving his past missteps and warming up to the idea of him reclaiming the Wheel.
The source revealed: "Obviously, the viewers who used to berate Pat for his awkward foot-in-mouth. moments have forgiven him. Many would like to see more of him in the future and that's what Pat's counting on. He's going to nudge Ryan out little by little to the point where he'll probably want to leave."
Pat Sajak's holiday encore on 'Celebrity Wheel of Fortune' well-received
Fans recently got a dose of nostalgia when Pat Sajak returned to host a holiday special of 'Celebrity Wheel of Fortune' on December 2. It was a brief but well-received stint, rekindling conversations about his future with the franchise.
And he’s not done yet! Pat is set to make one last hurrah on the spinoff series when 'Celebrity Wheel of Fortune' returns in 2025. While the rest of the fifth season was initially planned for earlier, ABC pushed it to prioritize 'Monday Night Football'.
Pat’s final episodes of 'Celebrity Wheel of Fortune' will be packed with familiar faces, including Rainn Wilson, Ellie Kemper, and Oscar Nunez of 'The Office'; Josh Gad, Justin Long, and Rachael Harris of 'New Girl'; Sam Richardson, Randall Park, and Matt Walsh of 'Veep'; and Tiffany Haddish and Regina Hall from 'Girls Trip'.
Meanwhile, Ryan Seacrest is proving he’s more than up to the task of filling Pat Sajak’s shoes. During his first month as host, 'Wheel of Fortune' pulled in an average of 7.99 million viewers, making it “the most-watched entertainment series across broadcast, cable, and syndication,” according to Nielsen, Newsweek reported.
