‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Missed Pat Sajak's Surprise Return to the Show

Wait, is Pat Sajak back on Wheel of Fortune?!

Fans remember how the longtime host stepped down from his role back in June, with Ryan Seacrest succeeding him. We know he's not totally done with TV just yet, as he's set to host his final season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune sometime in 2025. But fans did just catch Pat back on their favorite game show in the most unexpected way.

Pat surprised viewers by hosting a holiday special of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune with Dionne Warwick, Lil Jon and Chance the Rapper playing the game for their charities of choice. Ahead of the episode, Pat's daughter Maggie Sajak posted an Instagram video of her dad preparing to get back into the studio.

"Look who’s back behind the Wheel for a special episode of @celebritywheeloffortune 👀," she wrote in the caption. "Monday night at 8/7c on @abc ✨."

When learning Pat was coming back to Celebrity Wheel of Fortune earlier than expected, fans were totally thrilled.

"Ryan is a great host, but it’s fun to see you again too!" one person wrote in the comments of Maggie's post. "He’ll always be the best!!! ❤️," another exclaimed. "Ask your dad to please come out of retirement. Sincerely, all of us Wheel fans," a different follower added.

Turns out, Pat was equally excited to be back on the show franchise that defined his career. Of course, he couldn't help but joke about coming out of retirement, as evidenced by his post on X (formerly Twitter) from December 2.

"Apparently I’m back on TV tonight," Pat wrote. "I guess I’d better shave and shower. @celebritywof @ABCNetwork."

What a great holiday surprise for Wheel of Fortune fans!

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