Ryan Seacrest’s appearance on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ means another famous host should ‘be on guard,’ says an expert

Jeopardy host Ken Jennings is under considerable pressure as a rival game show undergoes a major restructuring. Jennings took over as host of Jeopardy in 2023, and about a year later, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would succeed Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune.

Now the two hosts are competing directly for ratings, with a source at Sony Television recently telling The Sun that Jennings will have to remain vigilant, particularly if Jeopardy’s ratings begin to decline in the wake of Sony’s changing dynamic.

“Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! have been very close in ratings and popularity for decades, but they actually attract two different audiences. U.S. Jeopardy! fans are typically from larger cities, while Wheel is more middle-class,” the source explained.

“Now that both shows are heading into the autumn with their new presenters, that balance is at risk of being disrupted and the excitement is palpable at Sony Television as Ryan settles in and films his first episodes as presenter,” they added.

Experienced television star Seacrest is also expected to provide competition to Jennings, particularly with his charismatic presence. He is also expected to earn a huge salary for the role.

“(Ryan) brings a sense of youth and urgency to the job that is much harder to achieve than it looks, and Wheel is sure to see a spike in numbers once its episodes start airing in September. My advice to Ken is that Mayim shouldn’t be caught off guard just because she’s out of the picture,” the source added, referring to actress Mayim Bialik, who hosted the show from 2021 to 2023.

The insider also used his knowledge of the television industry to give Jennings wise advice on how to tackle the new challenge.

“Taking ‘Jeopardy!”s audience for granted is the worst thing he could do right now, as Ryan is in the midst of reinventing the Wheel franchise with his flair for Top 40 radio and his unwavering optimism,” they said.

They continued: “In most media markets, these shows run back to back and Ken has to make sure he doesn’t suffer from the contrast with Ryan. It’s a difficult situation because their personalities are so radically different.”