The timing of TV tapings can often be a weird thing to reckon with when it comes to avoiding big plot spoilers, or in the case of some reality TV shows, avoiding real-life updates that hint at couple break-ups, contestant eliminations and more. In the case of Wheel of Fortune and Pat Sajak, the filming and airing schedule for the flagship series means that fans of the all-time great game show who already accepted the host’s retirement announced in 2023, will be watching him back in that familiar role for a new season of Celebrity Family Feud.
Bizarrely enough, Pat Sajak’s final Wheel of Fortune episode (which drew some pretty major ratings) will no longer serve as his actual last episode, at least not to TV viewers. ABC announced its 2024 Fall TV lineup, which not only cemented a premiere date for the fifth season of Wheel’s star-infused spinoff, but also confirmed that Sajak’s swan song is still yet to come, even if it was filmed before his official farewell message to fans. Gotta love TV magic, or whatever this would be called.
Viewers can look forward to seeing Sajak stepping it up one last time when Celebrity Wheel of Fortune returns in October, with ABC calling it his “final spin.” But will that truly be the end, or will we then learn about a previously unannounced animated WoF spinoff that Sajak will return for anew? Probably not, since an animated game show is a terrible idea, but still.
At this point, it’s still unclear when exactly Sajak’s high-profile replacement, TV hosting stalwart Ryan Seacrest, will be taking over. That said, we do know Season 42 is set to premiere this fall, and we do know that some viewers can’t wait for it, while others will be perfectly happy to have a Seacrest-fronted Wheel of Fortune miss them on all counts. The recent videos promoting the new episodes have been tied largely to Seacrest and Vanna White being goofy, without an overarching sense of how he’ll be during gameplay itself.
Check out one of the Sajak-free videos below for an idea of what to expect.
For any game show fans wondering, we won’t be able to enjoy the usual nightly lineup of Wheel and Jeopardy! together, at least not outside of the syndicated versions. Celebrity Jeopardy! won’t be returning to ABC until the network’s midseason schedule, where it will likely be paired up with the final season of The Conners.
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune will kick off its fifth season on ABC on Monday, October 7, at 8:00 p.m., with episodes available to stream the next day with a Hulu subscription. Head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows are on the way soon.
