Entertainment
Ryan Seacrest Gets Put In Headlock by Former Pro Wrestler Contestant on ‘Wheel of Fortune’
Ryan Seacrest had fun with former pro wrestler and recent Wheel of Fortune contestant “Big” Bill Page, allowing the ex-athlete to show off his skills and put him in a headlock.
Bill’s larger-than-life personality was on full display during his introduction on the Monday, March 24, episode. While inquiring Bill of his “past life” as a professional wrestler, Ryan, 50, asked him if he wanted to demonstrate one of his favorite moves.
Ryan walked up to Bill, who immediately pulled him into a chokehold while slowly pushing him down to the ground. The American Idol host smiled through the pain for a few seconds before playfully tapping out, while still maintaining his charming spirit. However, Ryan’s sculpted hair got ruffled, which he later joked was a “pet peeve.”
Bill, who walked away with a whopping $24,600 and a trip to St. Maarten, made it to the bonus round but didn’t complete the phrase for the Ford Bronco grand prize.
“It was a fantastic night. I really enjoyed it,” Bill told Wheel of Fortune social media correspondent Maggie Sajak. “They said, what kind of moves can you put on Ryan? I said, ‘Well, I guess the easiest one would be a headlock.’”
The beloved TV and radio host has recently found himself in a few wild situations on camera.
In February, Ryan looked back on a December 2024 episode when he showed off his best breakdancing movements.
“Embarrassingly, a few weeks ago, a while back, I showed off my breakdancing lack of skills,” Ryan said alongside cohost Vanna White, before the flashback clip played.
“Thanks to this honestly unscripted moment, we now keep aspirin on set!” the official Wheel of Fortune Instagram account captioned a clip of the moment.
A fan wrote in the comments section, “He did pretty good for a 50 year young man! Give him credit for having a great attitude.”
“I give him credit for making the attempt since he’s been given such a rough time since he started. I like Ryan,” a second fan commented. “I think he’s a great guy and hope he continues to flourish on Wheel of Fortune.”
Not to mention, Ryan had a silly moment with superstar Jelly Roll during a BTS scene on American Idol season 23 on February 4. In the clip, the “Son of a Sinner” singer picked Ryan up and twirled him around, leading Ryan to let out a “woohoo” squeal.
“You are shaping America’s future,” Ryan told Jelly, 40, who replied, “I feel like I am going to give them the energy they need. I’m uplifting and trying to get ‘em going.”
“Had to lift up @ryanseacrest just like I’m gonna lift up the @americanidol hopefuls! Honored to be Idol’s first-ever ARTIST IN RESIDENCE — mentoring with heart, soul, and real experience!” Jelly captioned the post. “I join the show during Hollywood Week, watch it all starting March 9 on ABC & streaming on Hulu! #americanidol.”
Ryan has been the long-standing host of American Idol since its debut in 2002. He replaced longtime Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak in 2024.
