Wheel of Fortune‘s new era kicks off next week, Monday, September 9, and Good Morning America‘s Ginger Zee got to go behind the scenes and discover some secrets about upcoming changes.
The sneak peek segment aired on Tuesday’s (September 3) edition of Good Morning America, which started with Zee joking about “buying four vowels” so she could spell the surname of her co-host, George Stephanopoulos. “The O is repeated, you see, a lot!”
In the video, new host Ryan Seacrest and long-time letter-turner Vanna White expressed their excitement about the upcoming 42nd season. “It’s Wheel of Fortune; how can you stop being happy?” Seacrest said.
“It’s energetic, it’s positive, it’s fun… I’m so excited,” added White.
Seacrest, a self-confessed Wheel superfan, described the experience as “out of body,” noting, “To have watched Vanna and watched this show and Pat [Sajak] and what they’ve built with audiences across this country and what this show means to people… it is a very special thing that just doesn’t exist anywhere else.”
Category? Next host! @RyanSeacrest and @TheVannaWhite are excited and gearing up to work alongside each other on “Wheel of Fortune.”@Ginger_Zee is giving us a sneak peek of the brand new set! https://t.co/vlg4ZTOWAz pic.twitter.com/WXx2oIPNDj
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 3, 2024
The American Idol host revealed how he’s been preparing for the gig, saying he’s watched “endless” episodes of White and Sajak hosting Wheel. He also said he and the team have been “playing mock Wheel of Fortune games in many cities across America depending on where I am. On conference tables, in meeting rooms, we’ve had makeshift wheels and makeshift contestants to get the gameplay down and the timing and pacing down.”
Seacrest also revealed the advice he received from White and Sajak, who told him the best thing about hosting Wheel is that you get to meet three new people every night, and they walk away with cash. “That’s what this show’s about,” he stated.
The hosts also showed off the sleek new set, with White explaining how the modern puzzle board works. “I don’t even have to touch the letter anymore,” she said. “This is a blank screen with a video on it. There’s lasers up there, so when I go to touch a letter, it catches the movement of my hand, so it lights up. Isn’t that crazy?”
After getting to spin the wheel herself, Zee revealed to GMA viewers that this season will feature “tons of new prizes,” including “tickets to NFL games” and “tickets to see some of the biggest musical artists.”
While Wheel has a new host and an updated set, Seacrest told Zee the secret to making the show work is, “Don’t make any changes. Don’t touch it.”
“This show works,” he explained. “All I need to do is keep it moving. All we need to do is have fun every night. And I think if that’s what happens, this show continues for a long time.”
Wheel of Fortune Season 42 Premiere, September 9, Check Local Listings