‘Celebrity Wheel of Fortune‘ Draws Strong Ratings in Ryan Seacrest‘s Debut
The premiere of “Celebrity Wheel of fortune” with new host Ryan Seacrest on September 27, 2024, delivered the show’s best audience since December 13, 2023, and secured its position as the No. 1 program of the night in broadcast. The strong debut signals a positive start for Seacrest’s tenure and a strategic shift for the long-running game show.
The ratings boost comes as Seacrest fully takes the helm of “Wheel of Fortune” across all platforms. While Seacrest began hosting the syndicated “Wheel of Fortune” in September 2024,ABC retained a season of Pat Sajak hosting the primetime “Celebrity Wheel of fortune,” delaying Seacrest’s takeover of the ABC run until now.The premiere also marks a new time slot for the show, airing Fridays at 8 p.m. ET.
The September 27th episode averaged 3.55 million total viewers, surpassing CBS’s “Big Brother” by 82% (1.95 million viewers). It also represented the best Friday 8 p.m. performance for ABC with entertainment programming since an episode of “Jeopardy Masters” in May 2024.
The premiere featured contestants Derek Hough, Bruno Tonioli, and Jenna Johnson from ”dancing with the Stars.” Upcoming guests include Retta (“Parks and Recreation”), Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block, and Oliver Hudson (“Happy Gilmore 2”) on October 3.
The syndicated “Wheel of Fortune” with Seacrest saw year-over-year increases for the 2024-2025 TV season, averaging 7.93 million viewers – a gain of 74,000 viewers from the previous year. The game show also achieved a 4.6 household rating, up 1% year-over-year.
Pat Sajak signed off from daytime “Wheel of Fortune” in June 2024 after over 40 years, with his final appearance being on ABC’s primetime “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.” Daytime “Wheel of Fortune” is currently in its 42nd season in syndication and is produced by sony Pictures Television.