Let's speculate on who could take the Wheel Of Fortune from Pat Sajak

The A.V. Club wildly theorizes about who might fill Pat Sajak's shoes on Wheel Of Fortune

By Drew Gillis, Mary Kate Carr, Hattie Lindert, Saloni Gajjar  |  June 13, 2023 | 8:23pm
TV News Pat Sajak
Let's speculate on who could take the Wheel Of Fortune from Pat Sajak
Introducing Endless Mode: A New Games & Anime Site from Paste
Photo: Gettty

Last night, Pat Sajak shared that, after more than 40 years of standing beside contestants spinning and spelling, he would be stepping away from Wheel Of Fortune. Immediately, the speculation around who should take his place felt reminiscent of the recent, tumultuous quest to fill Alex Trebek’s spot at Jeopardy!. However, Jeopardy! is a different animal, requiring a host to appear knowledgeable without being condescending.

Wheel Of Fortune seems like a much easier gig, at least to our outsider eyes. Sajak’s job was mainly to facilitate small talk between rounds and to repeat a letter that a contestant already said. In a notoriously unstable industry, it seems like a supremely comfortable gig, and even if it’s not the most glamorous, it’s probably pretty coveted. So who—or should—it go to? Allow us to speculate.

Jon Hamm: the charmer
Password with Jon Hamm and Jimmy Fallon | NBC’s Password

Combine Jon Hamm’s dashing marketability and television cultural cache, and an unexpected Wheel Of Fortune host might just be born. Plus, Hamm’s recent indicates he may be at a point in his career where a new, crowd-facing role aimed at a different kind of audience could be the move. This could be his ! [Hattie Lindert]

Sarah Hyland: the underdog
Wheel of Musical Impressions: Sarah Hyland Performs “Genie in a Bottle” as Avril Lavigne

Some people—including some A.V. Club staffers—may be mad at this suggestion, but it kind of just makes sense. Sarah Hyland already hosts Love Island and has had experience hosting other things, she’s charming, and she’s young—an important quality if the show has another 40-plus-year tenure in mind. Maybe Wells Adams can take Vanna White’s reins eventually, too. [Drew Gillis]

Neil Patrick Harris: The natural fit
Barney Stinson goes on Price is Right

Neil Patrick Harris’ imaginary fictional father on was ’s Bob Barker for a reason. In his spiffed-up, suit-wearing glory, he’s got all the exuberance and charm of a game show host. He’s got the improvisational humor to banter with contestants and the larger-than-life personality to carry the show’s silliness. He has game show experience under his belt and can do magic. America has always been fond of him. Unfortunately, he’s pretty employed at the moment (with a and his show saved from cancellation), so he might not have time, but he feels like a strong candidate nevertheless. [Mary Kate Carr]

Nathan Fielder: The cult favorite
Nathan For You - The Claw of Shame

Can you imagine ’s Nathan Fielder replacing none other than Pat Sajak for the hosting gig? Picture it—the contestant wouldn’t be able to trust a single thing that comes out of his mouth, but damn if it wouldn’t be entertaining to watch a straight-faced spin their brain wheels. He’d be a ridiculous choice, but that’s what makes it perfect. [Saloni Gajjar]

Ellen DeGeneres: The easy answer
Ellen DeGeneres Has a Brand New Game: Name Dropper - Ellen’s Game of Games 2020

might have taken a hit, but Pat Sajack is a who posed for pics with , so you don’t necessarily need to have a sterling reputation with all sides of the political spectrum to succeed in that time slot. Plus, there are few people in this world who have the level of experience of regular daily television that DeGeneres does. She’s got a comedy background and has bantered with both celebrities and normals on her show. She also has game show experience, on top of the many mini-games that were part of her talk show. And now that her daytime show is done, she’s got nothing but time. This one feels like it would be a pretty seamless transition of power. [Mary Kate Carr]

Chriss Teigen: The influencer choice
Kelly Clarkson vs. Chrissy Teigen: Skee-Ball Showdown With Matt Iseman

, so why not Wheel Of Fortune? The model and chef could easily add game show host to her roster after taking the stage on . To make things worse, she could always ask John Legend to join her as her version of Vanna White from time to time. Stranger things have happened—like running for several seasons. [Hattie Lindert]

Ryan Seacrest: The safe bet
Kelly Clarkson Puts Ryan Seacrest To Shame In Golf Game

Ryan Seacrest typically has a dozen or so jobs at any given time, so why not add one more? He’s a guy who was created in a lab specifically to be a television personality. He doesn’t have precisely the same loose, comedic quality that Sajack does, but he’s been talking to Average Americans on for two decades now, so he could probably host Wheel in his sleep. Now that his schedule is a , perhaps he could fit it in. (According to , he’s already been approached.) [Mary Kate Carr]

Vanna White: The true successor
Vanna White’s first Wheel of Fortune appearance

Perhaps Pat Sajak’s perfect successor was right there all along? Vanna White, who has co-hosted Wheel Of Fortune since 1982, knows the series (and its audience) inside and out. It’s pretty much the opposite of stunt casting, but in a wildly uncertain television landscape where few shows promise tenure like WOF, maybe consistency is key. [Hattie Lindert]

Will Arnett: A solid pick
Will Arnett’s Lamborghini Memory Build Challenge | Season 2 Ep. 6 | LEGO MASTERS

’s deep voice could soothe anyone—even if it gives s. He’s seemingly the perfect mix of funny and gentle, so he’s the perfect game show host. And, let’s be honest—after running the gamut on Lego Masters since 2020, the SmartLess host would be up for it. [Saloni Gajjar]

Nick Lachey: A seasoned host
Nick Lachey - Host Reel

Your mileage may vary on Nick Lachey’s efficacy, but his post-98 Degrees career has been hosting stuff. From to , he’s brought his particular brand of generically handsome white dude to many a reality competition show. It’s good training for a show like Wheel, which could probably hinge on his generic handsomeness well enough. In any case, it seems like the next logical step in the path Lachey has been forging for himself. In other words: he’d definitely say yes! [Mary Kate Carr]

LeVar Burton: The fan favorite
Science Fiction | Category | JEOPARDY!

LeVar Burton is the natural choice to host absolutely anything, even though he’s too good for Wheel Of Fortune. Burton, would undoubtedly do well here. It’s not a “wild” choice so much as a “when will TV execs step up to give him his due?” choice. [Saloni Gajjar]

 
Join the discussion...