IRyan Seacrest began hosting Wheel of Fortune just four months ago, taking over the hosting gig from the legendary Pat Sajak, who was the face of the program for 43 years before he retired in June of last year.
Now, the Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings has revealed what he really thinks about Seacrest’s hosting skills. Indeed, Jennings himself took over hosting Jeopardy! after longtime host Alex Trebek died in 2020 at the age of 80 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Jennings Sounds Off
Fans might be surprised to learn that Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! film next to one another on the Sony Studios lot in Culver City, California. Jennings, 50, has never publicly commented on how Seacrest, 50, is doing hosting his new show. Behind the scenes, however, Jennings allegedly recently opened up about Seacrest in a big way.
“[Jennings] talked about how he was able to go over and see Ryan and Vanna [White] taping Wheel of Fortune recently,” an insider told The Sun. “Ken said he is rarely on the lot the same time that Wheel of Fortune tapes but was for one of the only times since he started the other day.”
“Ken was sincerely blown away by how seamlessly Ryan has not just stepped into Pat’s shoes but made it his own,” the source continued. “At one point, he even joked that Ryan is a ‘much better’ host than himself. He was very complimentary of Ryan. You can tell there is a lot of respect there and it was fun to see them work their magic next door. He was impressed by the show’s production speed and routine – it includes a lot more moving parts to the set as Jeopardy!”
Some high praise!
Related: ‘Lazy’ And ‘Annoying’ – Why Some ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Want Ryan Seacrest Replaced
Wheel Of Fortune Wins Out In The Ratings
Since Seacrest took over, Wheel of Fortune has been demolishing Jeopardy! in the ratings. This doesn’t seem to have stressed out Jennings, however. Another insider recently claimed that Jennings has been cracking jokes behind the scenes about the ratings disparity between the two game shows.
“After a recent taping, Ken asked the live audience if they enjoyed their time at the show, before asking if any of them wished they’d gone to see Wheel of Fortune instead,” this source alleged. “The crowd erupted in laughter and seemed to appreciate him making fun of the rivalry and not taking it so seriously.”
“Ken is very humble, really kind to everyone on set, and eager to answer questions from guests,” the insider added. “It seems the role hasn’t gone to his head. There’s no ego about him at all.”
Is Competing Harder Than Hosting?
Jennings famously got his start as a Jeopardy! contestant when he won 74 consecutive games back in 2004. Despite all the stresses that come with hosting the show, he’s admitted that competing was harder.
“Audience members have also asked him which is harder; being a contestant or hosting, and he admitted taking part was much more nerve-wracking than reading out the questions,” the source stated.
Both Jennings and Seacrest seem to really know their stuff when it comes to hosting. While nobody will ever be able to fully replace Trebek and Sajak, they’re certainly doing a great job trying!
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