Ryan Seacrest Under ‘Enormous Pressure’ as Wheel of Fortune’s Ratings Dip After Pat Sajak’s Exit

Ryan Seacrest is under huge pressure to deliver as Wheel of Fortune suffers a big dip in ratings, per new figures. Show insiders are whispering how Vanna White’s in prime position to land the big gig herself if her new boss falls flat on his face.

“Ryan’s trying to sugarcoat this and say it’s good news, that the only way is up since Pat [Sajak’s] ratings are down,” a source exclusively tells Closer. “But the bosses are worried it’s a trend that might not be automatically reversible just by hiring a new host. So, Ryan’s under enormous pressure from day one to deliver on the massive salary they’re paying him, not to mention the huge money they invested by giving Vanna her big raise. If the ratings don’t come back up, Ryan will be the one they blame, no question about it.”

The insider continues, “He knows he’ll be the scapegoat, so it’s incredibly stressful for him right now. And Vanna’s in the catbird position. She can just sit back, spin the wheel and wait for Ryan to fall on his face. Even if that’s not her intention, she can certainly be the one to benefit from this in a big way because she’d be the next obvious replacement. Everyone knows there’s no one the fans would rather see take over from Ryan, she’d be a slam dunk.”

Pat, 77, announced he was retiring at the end of 2023, and Ryan, 49, was handed the reins earlier this year.

“I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them,” the American Idol host said in a statement after the announcement.

Pat’s last episode as the host aired on June 7. Between July 1 and July 21, Wheel of Fortune’s ratings took a hit and gave up its No. 2 spot to Family Feud, according to Nielsen’s ratings. Plus, shortly after Ryan took on the hosting duties for Wheel of Fortune, rumors began to swirl that he and Vanna, 67, don’t have the same type of relationship that Vanna had with Pat.

On June 16, The Daily Mail reported that Vanna was considering leaving the show before her contract was up.

“Vanna is retiring from the show when her contract ends, but there is a part of her that wants to walk away sooner. It is just so difficult to do this without Pat,” a show insider told the publication. “She just doesn’t jibe with Ryan like she did with Pat, and no one really ever expected her to. There is just no way that she possibly could.”

The source continued, “Vanna feels that she has put her time in. She devoted her entire life to this show and she had an incredible run while making a fortune. She knows that the show needs to go in a different direction and appeal to a younger demographic. She wants the show to continue. This will require a younger female host, someone who can be to Ryan what she was to Pat.”

The new season of Wheel of Fortune premieres on September 9.