'Wheel of Fortune' fans criticize 'nauseating' changes to game show look
Ryan Seacrest replaced longtime host Pat Sajak for season 42
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Wheel of Fortune" fans criticized the new game show set after Ryan Seacrest replaced former longtime host Pat Sajak.
During the beloved game show’s Toss Up challenges, the three contestants were displayed at the bottom of the screen in separate boxes. In previous episodes, the players were showcased at the top.
Fans noticed this change and expressed how much they despised the new setup.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Wheel of Fortune" viewers vocalized how upset they were with the game show changes. (ABC/Wheel of Fortune)
"Ryan is ok but hate the new set," a viewer shared on a "Wheel of Fortune" Reddit forum.
"Also hate them showing the contestants at [the] bottom during the toss ups. It’s a distraction. I just want to see the puzzle! Why do they always feel like they need to change things just [because] there’s a new host."
Ryan Seacrest hosted his first episode of "Wheel of Fortune" on Monday. (Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images)
Other fans were quick to agree with the initial comment and were visibly upset about the new look.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The three box was nauseating," another comment read. "Let the viewer focus on the puzzle!"
"I'm not going to watch because the set is such garbage, tbh," one person wrote. "It's bright, distracting, and cheap."
"Ugly is too nice a word for what they did," another fan commented.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Seacrest joins longtime "Wheel" co-host Vanna White, who recently extended her contract through the 2025-26 season. (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for CBS Media Ventures/Sony Pictures Television)
An additional "Wheel of Fortune" viewer chimed in and said, "I will concur that the set – despite the nod to the 80s set – does look like in need of more improvement. The new Toss-up/Speed-up round angles also don't do any justice either..."
Many fans pointed out that they enjoyed Seacrest as a host but miss Sajak.
"Seacrest is OK, though it will be awhile before I stop missing Sajak's style of patter with the contestants," one comment read.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Another fan added, "Ryan is a good enough host. The new set is too much. I'm not a fan."
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Seacrest with White and Pat Sajak on the "Wheel of Fortune" set. (Getty Images/Ryan Seacrest Instagram)
The new "Wheel of Fortune" critiques came after Seacrest debuted on the game show Monday night.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Although Seacrest recognized he had stepped into a major role, he did not mention Sajak’s name when he opened the show.
After Seacrest and co-host Vanna White were introduced, the new "Wheel of Fortune" host shared his sentiments.
"I am your host, Ryan Seacrest. I still can’t believe my luck of being here with you tonight to continue this legacy of this incredible show with all of you. And of course, my good friend Vanna White," he shared during his monologue.
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Sajak and White hosted "Wheel of Fortune" for more than 40 years. (Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank)
"Thank you for the very warm welcome," Seacrest said. "Hosting ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is a dream job. I’ve been a fan of this show since I was a kid watching it in Atlanta with my family. And I know how special it is that ‘Wheel’ has been in your living rooms for the past 40 years. And I’m just so grateful to be invited in. I also know I’ve got some very big shoes to fill. So, let’s play ‘Wheel of Fortune.’"
Although Seacrest mentioned he had "big shoes to fill," Sajak’s name was absent in his introduction.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Wheel of Fortune" announced Seacrest would take over for Sajak in June 2023 following the host's retirement.