Carson Daly and Ryan Seacrest have a lot in common. They both host singing competitions, they’ve done their fair share of morning news and talk shows, and they are both beloved TV personalities. They’re also good friends. So, when it was announced that the American Idol host would be taking over for Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune, The Voice host couldn’t help but share his excitement for his pal’s next career move.
It was announced earlier this week, after many rumors, that Ryan Seacrest would be the new host of Wheel of Fortune. He’s clearly a natural fit for the role, and many have shared their excitement about his new gig. This includes Today’s Carson Daly, who gushed about his love for the former Live With Kelly and Ryan host as he told People:
[It] certainly doesn’t surprise me. I mean, it seems like an obvious choice.
While there may have been jokes about Seacrest taking over for Sajak, he really is the “obvious choice” to me too. He’s been in the business for decades, and folks really love this TV personality whether he’s hosting American Idol, New Year’s Rockin’ Eve or his radio show.
Daly continued to speak about how excited he was for Seacrest, noting how his friend and Pat Sajak low-key look alike:
I was watching … old Wheel of Fortunes with Mr. Sajak and Vanna White going back. He looked like a young Seacrest. So I guess it definitely makes sense.
The Voice host went on to praise Ryan Seacrest and his work ethic, noting that they’ve “been friends forever.” After making a joke about how much both of them work on their respective projects, Daly got sincere, saying:
I love Ryan. We’ve been friends forever. It’s amazing to me his desire to continue to work at such a high level. He’ll be great at it and good luck to him.
Over the course of the 2023 TV schedule, Seacrest left Live with Kelly And Ryan (which is now named Live With Kelly and Mark) and landed this new gig at Wheel of Fortune, talk about an eventful year. Reflecting on this upcoming job, the long-time American Idol host noted:
Many people probably don’t know this but one of my first jobs was hosting a little game show called ‘Click’ for Merv Griffin 25 years ago so this is truly a full circle moment for me and I’m grateful to Sony for the opportunity. I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White.
So, after all these years of jumping around from show to show, and helping maintain the legacies of others, like New Year’s Rockin’ Eve and American Idol, Seacrest has landed a job that really feels like a “full circle” accomplishment.
Like Daly, we are wishing Ryan Seacrest the best of luck with Wheel of Fortune, and I’m sure he will be a fantastic fit for the job. However, Pat Sajak will still be running the show for one more season, which premieres in September. So, make sure you tune in to see the long-time host say his goodbyes as we get ready for a whole new chapter of the legendary game show.