A huge Wheel of Fortune update went viral this week.
As Pat Sajak is officially stepping down, there’s been some changes made to the show that not everyone can get behind.
And now, there’s even more news.
Each Wheel of Fortune episode is opened by the hosting duo.
Pat Sajak and Vanna White are nothing short of iconic at this point.
And the pair usually waste no time in introducing the episode’s latest contestants.
Before challenging them to spin the famous wheel and answer questions in the battle for the much-desired cash prize.
The episode started like any other regular edition of Wheel of Fortune.
But things took an unexpected turn.
Pat Sajak has come under fire after he appeared to tackle a contestant.
And his actions have left the internet divided.
“This made me feel kind of uncomfortable,” wrote one commenter.
“Everyone needs to calm down – this is clearly a joke,” added another.
It all happened on the episode that aired March 21st, 2023.
It was an ordinary show, until the 76-year-olds actions took a bizarre turn.
The star player on the ep was a man of many talents, named Fred.
Fred claimed he was a bar trivia host, working as a drama teacher, and a professional wrestler.
Fred also caveated that he gets paid “very little,” for his wrestling.
And that he thinks of the sport more as a hobby “for fun.”
Fred won numerous rounds during the Hawaii-themed episode.
Solving the ‘Pineapple upside-down cake’ puzzle for starters, and going from strength to strength from there.
And it seemed as though Sajak took a little umbrage with Fred’s winning streak.
He was heard joking: “Well, the Fred Fletcher Jackson show continues.”
Lucky Fred got to the final round with $5,700 in the bank.
Totally dominating the other two contestants!
Something Sajak made another joke about!
“To you two, I want to say it happens sometimes – someone just gets really hot,” Sajak says.
He continued: “You want me to body slam him for you? I can do that.”
Fred then continued his winning streak, with a bonus of $40,000 for guessing the final phrase.
And Sajak couldn’t believe it!
In fact, he decided he had to keep his promise from earlier.
Sajak then approached Fred to tackle him!
He attempted to grab the contestant and pull him to the ground for being too good at the game!
Luckily, Fred got away unscathed.
And luckily for Sajak, the pro wrestler didn’t decide to fight back!
“Why didn’t he body slam Pat?” one fan joked in the comments.
Another added: “Fred is a part-time wrestler, so Pat joined with his prowess.”
A third wrote: “That was a good one!! The end was so funny.”
And it was clear the studio audience agreed, as they laughed and applauded Sajak’s stunt.
But even a scuffle with Sajak couldn’t damped Fred’s night.
He took home his $75,800 earnings!
Plus a legendary story that’ll go down in Wheel of Fortune history.
Not a bad night’s work!
Fred even proudly flexed his biceps at the end of the show.
And if you’re interested in more Sajak wrestling, Wheel of Fortune will host a WWE week from 27th-31st March.
“Seeing the criticizing that [Sajak] gets online is a little unfair.”
“I was the one who was put in the hold and I was perfectly okay with it.”
Watch the moment that got everybody talking here.
And now, there’s been another big Wheel of Fortune update.
As Pat Sajak has confirmed that this series will be his last.
“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” he shared on Twitter. “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all.”
And now, his replacement has been announced.
Although many fans are skeptical as to whether he’s right for the job.
Ryan Seacrest has been confirmed as the new host.
Ravi Ahuja, Chairman of Global Television Studios at Sony Pictures, said: “We are ecstatic to have Ryan as the next host of Wheel of Fortune. Ryan loves Wheel as much as we do and is the perfect person to continue the show’s four-decade success into the future.”
“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them,” Seacrest shared.
“Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition.”
“Many people probably don’t know this but one of my first jobs was hosting a little game show called Click for Merv Griffin 25 years ago so this is truly a full circle moment for me and I’m grateful to Sony for the opportunity. I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White.”
However, the future of Vanna White remains unclear.
As according to Puck News, she has hired “aggressive” powerhouse attorney Bryan Freedman
This is the hope of retaining a higher rate of pay with her new co-host!
What do you think?