RATINGS SHOCKER: Ryan Seacrest Ends First ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Season with SURPRISING Ratings Surge—Critics Silenced as Viewers Return in Droves for Final Week

After a season of controversy, backlash, and split fan opinions, Seacrest delivers a twist ending: ratings skyrocket, and even doubters are being forced to reconsider.

Wheel of Fortune’ Ends First Season Under New Host Ryan Seacrest With Ratings Bump

Ryan Seacrest is ending his first season as host of “Wheel of Fortune” on a high note. According to series distributor CBS Media Ventures, the syndicated gamer– which just aired its final batch of new episodes for the 2024-2025 TV season — was up year-to-year in both households and total viewers.

Seacrest took over for longtime host Pat Sajak (and joined co-host Vanna White) in September. Per CBS, “Wheel” was “the only syndicated game show to post growth and was one of only two syndicated series to increase year to year.”

“Wheel” averaged 7.93 million viewers this season, with a slight bump of 74,000 vs. last year. In households, the game show posted a 4.6 rating for the season in households, up 1% from the previous year. CBS said that makes it the No. 2 syndicated series in households and total viewers, behind only sister show “Jeopardy!”

Sajak signed off from the daytime “Wheel” last June after more than 40 years as host. He was still seen this season in ABC’s primetime edition of “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,” which repped his last turn on the show.

As Variety noted last year in a profile of Seacrest, the host studied intently while taking over the gig. Per the story, he went through “Wheel’s” more than 8,000-episode archive, watching hundreds of shows and cherry-picking moments from each decade to learn the nuances of the game.

And it apparently worked: In September, according to Nielsen data, “Wheel of Fortune” averaged 7.99 million viewers during its premiere month (September 9 to October 6, 2024) — making it the most-watched entertainment program on linear TV when sports and news were taken out of the equation. The arrival of Seacrest helped give “Wheel” its highest best premiere month audience in three years.

“Wheel” just wrapped its 42nd season in syndication. The syndie strip is produced by Sony Pictures Television, and distributed domestically by CBS Media Ventures and internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution. Bellamie Blackstone is exec producer.

Sony and CBS continue to battle over their longstanding partnership on both “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel.” For decades, Sony produced the series (having acquired original producer Merv Griffin’s production company) while CBS was the syndication distributor (having acquired original distribber King World).