‘Wheel of Fortune’ after Pat Sajak: ‘Jeopardy!’ mistakes can offer valuable lessons for game show’s future

When Pat Sajak announced his retirement from hosting “Wheel of Fortune,” it marked the end of an era.

“Well, the time has come,” he wrote in a post that was shared across all the “Wheel of Fortune” social media accounts. “I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last.”

He added, “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)”

Sajak represented the last “golden age” game show host, along with the likes of Bob Barker and the late Alex Trebek, defining multiple generations of television viewing.

No announcement has been made yet about his replacement, though there have been some names thrown around, including co-host Vanna White and “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest.

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“The producers of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and the network need to start finding a replacement now,” Rob Weiner, Pop Culture Librarian at Texas Tech University told Fox News Digital. “They should do a careful search to find someone who has excellent people skills, someone with charisma and who knows how to handle the requirements of the job.”

“The producers need to meticulously interview and search for people who can fit the job but also someone who can relate to the audience. A person who is lively. Pat Sajak has hosted ‘Wheel’ for over 40 years. Audiences are often resistant to [change], so whoever takes over has big shoes to fill.”

“Wheel of Fortune” faces two possible paths in securing a replacement host: the relatively smooth “Price is Right” transition with Drew Carey or the far rockier multiple-host approach of “Jeopardy!”

Longtime host Trebek was still appearing on “Jeopardy!” through his battle with pancreatic cancer and died only days after taping his final episodes in 2020. He had been hosting “Jeopardy!” since 1984 and was synonymous with the show.

“When a beloved personality like Trebek loses a very public battle with cancer, there is a sense of loss and mourning. The stakes were arguably higher for the ‘Jeopardy! transition than other shows in recent memory,” Doug Eldridge of Achilles PR told Fox News Digital.

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Replacing Trebek proved to be an incredibly difficult task after his final episodes aired in January 2021.

A series of celebrity hosts rotated week to week, auditioning for producers and the audience. NFL star Aaron Rodgers, “Big Bang Theory” star Mayim Bialik, Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric and many more tried their hand at the job, including the show’s then-executive producer, Mike Richards.

After several months of guest hosts, it was announced in August 2021 that Richards would take over hosting duties and Bialik would host primetime specials and spin-offs.

Fan backlash was swift. Richards was an unknown entity to fans, though he had some experience under his belt as host of “Divided” and “The Pyramid.”

News had also recently broken that he had been involved in a discrimination lawsuit during his time at “The Price is Right.” In a 2010 complaint by Brandi Cochran, a former model on “The Price Is Right,” she claimed she was fired after becoming pregnant with twins while Richards served as co-executive producer. Cochran obtained more than $8.5 million in punitive damages.

“Reading Rainbow” host LeVar Burton was a “Jeopardy!” fan favorite, and many tweeted their demand for him to take over in place of Richards.

“Fans should be annoyed because it seemed like the way the producers went about filling the host spot did not take into account the fans,” said Weiner. “By having several hosts, it was just too much for audiences to bear. It would have been better if they just picked someone and stuck with them. But again, those were big shoes to fill.”

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He continued, “Fans take it very seriously when they feel they are being left out or being sidelined. The ‘Jeopardy!’ mess showed that the producers did not think through the hiring process very well.”

Within the same month, Richards stepped down as host, and Bialik and former “Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings began alternating hosting duties, with Bialik also hosting specials and spin-offs as planned.

“In many ways, ‘Jeopardy!’ was a case study in brand mismanagement. The show itself was a household name, but because of Trebek’s tenure, he, too, was seen as the inextricable heart and soul of the show,” Eldridge said.

He continued, “There is a psychological difference in replacing someone who retires versus someone who passes away. From the erstwhile producer to the rotation of dueling co-hosts, the show’s reputation took a beating, yet the show itself pulled through, which is a testament to the authentic relationship ‘Jeopardy!’ as a brand had developed with its audience over so many decades.”

In July 2022, Jennings and Bialik were announced as permanent full-time co-hosts for the show’s 38th season.

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When Bob Barker retired as host of “The Price is Right,” the search for a replacement was a much smoother transition for the show and its fans.

Before Drew Carey was invited to host, he was semiretired from television after a successful nine-year run with his ABC sitcom, “The Drew Carey Show.” 

In 2007, he was tapped to host the game show “Power of 10” for Sony, a job he told CBS News at the time was “stimulating.”

“It’s like meeting the right girl,” he said at the time. “This is a really good fit. I’m really comfortable here, and it seems like I should have been doing this a long time ago.”

Executives seemed to take note of his hosting abilities, and shortly after he began his job at “Power of 10,” he was invited to take over for Barker.

Carey was understandably reluctant to take over for the icon, who had been hosting “The Price is Right” for 35 years.

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“If you think I’m going to sit at ‘The Price Is Right’ so everybody can take potshots at me, forget it,” he told CBS News, and said he initially turned down the offer.

However, after speaking with friends and advisers, the comedian agreed to take the job.

“Unbeknownst to me, I was preparing myself to be a super game show host of the 21st century,” Carey told the outlet after he accepted the offer. “I wouldn’t be good at this if it wasn’t for all that other stuff I did.”

The 65-year-old has been successfully hosting the show since he took over in 2007, nearly 16 years ago. He’s made his own mark on the show but maintained Barker’s famous “Have your pets spayed or neutered” sign-off.

“It’s a tradition,” Carey told CBS News in 2007. “It’s been here all this time. I don’t want to get rid of that.”

“Drew Carey was a well-known pop-culture individual, but what sold audiences on him was his charm,” Weiner said, explaining the successful transition. “Drew from the beginning did a good job at winning over not only the contestants but the hardcore fans.”

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“[What] the producers of ‘Wheel of Fortune’ need to take away from ‘The Price is Right’ [is] that they need that charisma and to find someone who knows how to make contestants feel at ease – but still have the competitive edge these games call for – but also the audience,” Weiner said. “Carey was already known as a funny individual who could bring audiences into the process of whatever it is he is doing.”

For “Wheel of Fortune,” the show is at a crossroads over who can fill the hole left by Sajak’s retirement.

Ryan Seacrest almost immediately appeared to be a strong contender based on his prolific career as a host, though there has been no comment or confirmation from Seacrest or “Wheel of Fortune.”

The 48-year-old recently ended his time on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” with Kelly Ripa, but he continues to host “American Idol” and has led the “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” countdown every year since 2007 when Clark stepped down.

“When looking at the short list of would-be replacements, the question is whether Sony is looking for continuity or a kick-start,” Eldridge said. “If it’s continuity, then Seacrest is the logical fit, given his demeanor, aesthetic and broad cultural appeal. Add to that, he’s already a proven commodity and a household name, so skeptics and cynics would have less ammunition out of the gate.”

There’s also the possibility the show could maintain continuity from within.

Sajak’s current co-host, Vanna White, has been turning letters on the show since 1982, and she temporarily took over hosting duties while Sajak underwent emergency surgery for a blocked intestine in 2019.

His daughter, Maggie Sajak, covered White’s position and later became a social media correspondent for the show in 2021.

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When her father announced his retirement, Maggie shared his statement and wrote on Instagram, “It’s so much fun working with my dad. And we’re looking forward to even more fun in Season 41.”

Weiner noted other rumored suggestions from outside the show include Whoopi Goldberg, sports analyst Stephen A. Smith, Wayne Brady, Jane Lynch, Craig Ferguson and former “DWTS” host Tom Bergeron.

He also suggested “it might be a good idea to go with an unknown.”

“That way, the audience would have to judge the host on their own merits rather than have preconceived notions about whether the host is appropriate, which would happen with hiring somebody a little more famous,” Weiner said. “The most important thing is to screen the applicants and train them well. Make sure that they know how to relate to the contestants and the audience.”

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In Eldridge’s opinion, an unknown could be potentially too risky a gamble for the show.

“Wheel’s ratings are at an all-time high and the licensing deals alone will generate nine figures over the next decade, while syndication fees will net Sony almost $100 million during that same window. The numbers are clearly there for maintaining continuity,” he said.

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He continued, “So, while Seacrest would provide a certain level of continuity – or at least mitigate a potential nose-dive in quantifiable brand value – the depth and diversity of ‘Wheel’s’ viewer base is demographically significant. But that is where demographics and psychographics must be observed and considered accordingly. The former outlines who is watching; the latter provides insight into how they are watching and perhaps what they are thinking.”