Ryan Seacrest's 'unbelievably bad' on-air blooper on 'Wheel of Fortune' sparks mockery

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Ryan Seacrest, the new host of 'Wheel of Fortune', is under scrutiny for an awkward moment during the October 4 episode of the popular game show.

Fans are calling it his first blooper 'unbelievably bad' after he left contestant Cody Hunger hanging in suspense before announcing his big win.

Ryan Seacrest raises eyebrows after host's awkward pause before win

As the episode drew to a close, 67-year-old Vanna White, known for her iconic letter-turning, introduced the contestant to a four-word puzzle.

He started by selecting the letters C, D, O, and Y — coincidentally the initials of his own name — adding them to the letters already displayed on the board.

The episode was the culmination of the week-long BetMGM Big Winners Tournament, and Cody had just correctly solved the final puzzle, “Out of the way,” with impressive speed during the bonus round.

However, while Cody may have been quick with the answer, Seacrest took a noticeable pause before finally confirming his victory.

“Cody?” Seacrest said, leaving everyone in suspense for a few more seconds. Then, he finally delivered the news: “That’s it. You got it! Congratulations.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the studio exploded in celebration, with confetti and streamers flying everywhere. Cody’s friends rushed the stage to join him, adding to the festive atmosphere.

But for fans watching at home, the brief silence before Seacrest confirmed the win didn’t go unnoticed.

According to Daily Mail, one viewer even joked that Ryan had “forgotten how to host.”

One viewer expressed on X, "Whatever he has done so far, that mistake was fucking silly. No excuses."

Another viewer shared, "Ryan seacrest hosting #WheelOfFortune is unbelievably bad. sometimes it’s okay to let things go."

One viewer pointed out, "Ryan has too many eggs in his basket. He should have just stuck with American Idol and called it a day. He wasn't any good on Kelly & Ryan, he can't host New Year's Eve to save his life; this guy is everywhere and belongs in his forever closet."

A follower observed, "He's terribly annoying, and he's everywhere. I can't stand him, won't watch anything he's in."

"I miss Pat already," another remarked.

However, others had his back, offering a different stance on the seemingly long 'pause.'

One comment stated, "Nowadays there is ALWAYS a reason to criticize celebrities who take the platform of other retiring long term show hosts. It happens with Drew Carey, Stephen Colbert, Ken Jennings and many more. IMO Ryan is doing a GREAT job, after all is JUST A GAME SHOW, for Heaven's sake!"

Another comment read, "Good lord people, he paused for a second, that's not a blooper. A lot of comments here from jealous people that don't have his money. Get over it green eyes."

Despite the slightly awkward delay, Cody walked away with a massive $94,900 jackpot, ending the episode on a high note.

Ryan Seacrest disappoints fans by failing to pay tribute to Pat Sajak during hosting debut

Seacrest, 49, officially took over as the host of 'Wheel of Fortune' last month, following the retirement of longtime host Pat Sajak.

Though fans were thrilled to see a new face on the show, Seacrest's transition hasn’t been entirely smooth with him recently feeling he made a 'major mistake' replacing Sajak.

During his debut episode, some fans were miffed when Seacrest didn’t pay tribute to Pat during his opening remarks.

“Welcome to Wheel of Fortune. I am your host, Ryan Seacrest,” he began, expressing his gratitude for the warm welcome and excitement about his new role.

“I still can't believe my luck being here with you tonight to continue this legacy... I also know I’ve got some very big shoes to fill.”

Even though he wrote a heartwarming post for the former host, Seacrest's introduction struck some viewers as lacking the homage they had hoped for.

However, according to sources, he felt that he had already praised Pat enough in the lead-up to his big moment.

He wanted to focus on taking the show in “a new direction.”

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