Ryan Seacrest celebrates first day at “Wheel of Fortune”

“I’m still spinning with excitement,” the "American Idol" host wrote on social media.

Big wheels keep on turnin’ — and the biggest one on TV is now in the hands of Ryan Seacrest.

The American Idol  host celebrated his first day as the host of Wheel of Fortune Tuesday, posting a series of photos of him on set with the titular wheel and behind the scenes. “A glimpse of my first day at @WheelofFortune, and I’m still spinning with excitement,” he wrote in his caption.

Seacrest posted an enthusiastic selfie of himself holding a wild card with the iconic game wheel, as well as a photo of himself contemplatively looking over the set, a pic of him with a binder and a mini Wheel in an office, and a snap of him cheerfully holding a red and white Wheel tote on the studio backlot.

The new host also posted a video of himself arriving to the Wheel stage, giddily spinning the wheel and exploring the set. “Listen to the sound of this wheel. Right? Iconic,” he says. “You know, I could not sleep last night, I was so excited. I slept okay, but still very excited for the alarm to go off.”

Seacrest also admires the show’s Hall of Fame area, which includes vintage footage, Emmy statues, and a Guinness World Record placard. The video ends with Seacrest skipping through the backlot with his Wheel bag.

Related: How Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak said goodbye on his final episode

Seacrest was first announced as the next host of Wheel in June 2023, following longtime host Pat Sajak’s announcement that he’d retire from the show after 41 seasons.

"I'm truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak," Seacrest tweeted following the announcement. "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."

"Many people probably don't know this but one of my first jobs was hosting a little game show called 'Click' for [Wheel executive producer] Merv Griffin 25 years ago so this is truly a full circle moment for me and I'm grateful to Sony for the opportunity,” Seacrest concluded. “I can't wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White."

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Related: Watch Pat Sajak thank Wheel of Fortune fans in farewell message: 'It's been an incredible privilege'

Sajak’s final episode of the show aired last month, and Seacrest took the opportunity to pay tribute to his predecessor. “Pat, congratulations on an incredible run with Wheel of Fortune!” he wrote on Instagram. “Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades. Your partnership with Vanna has been nothing short of iconic, and together, you’ve created countless wonderful memories for viewers. You’ve set the standard for hosts everywhere, and this marks the end of an era. Best wishes for all your future endeavors!”

Related: Pat Sajak lines up his first post–Wheel of Fortune gig in play that inspired Columbo

Seacrest’s first episodes as the new Wheel host won’t debut until the fall — and although Sajak’s final eps of the main show have already aired, he’s not quite finished with his time behind the wheel. Last week, ABC announced that Sajak will host the fifth season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, which debuts in October.

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