Grandmom of 8 wins wild vacation on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ — but the prize felt more like a punishment
Things have been a bit complex on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ this past season. While this was the first time Ryan Seacrest took up hosting duties—following Pat Sajak’s departure—it was also the first time the reality game show was reportedly at risk of being canceled due to funding issues. This comes after recent episode winners received trips to domestic destinations, including Atlantic City, Miami, San Antonio, New York, and Williamsburg, Virginia, according to TV Insider.
On the January 28, 2025 episode, Jacque Franklin, a grandmother of eight, appeared on the show. The Raytown, Missouri, resident played extremely well and won a trip in the Express Round. This was a holiday at the Colonial Williamsburg Resorts in Virginia, valued at $8,570. Meanwhile, according to the outlet, the trip promo also included activities such as golfing, roller coaster riding, and zip-lining. This made some viewers feel that the trip was not suitable for the contestant, who would have rather enjoyed a more relaxing and not-so-adventurous vacation.
A Reddit thread soon began as one netizen posted, “That lady is not playing golf or going on a roller coaster. Why have their trips been so lame this season? I don’t recall such awful destinations in previous seasons. Hawaii and Alaska were the only domestic locations on previous seasons.” Another wrote, “I caught the tail end when Ryan was saying Busch Gardens, and I asked the family ‘oh she’s going to Tampa?’ When they said, no Virginia, I was so confused.” “One, didn’t know they had Busch Gardens there and two, Virginia? I’m not saying Tampa is all that but it would be a better trip then there,” the comment read further.
Soon, people began speculating about the show's budget, with one saying, “Did the show lose funding? No offense to people that live there, but if I won a trip to Williamsburg, Virginia, I’d ask for the money instead!” Another pointed out, "I was going to say they should have more money not having to pay Pat's salary but the dollar value of the trips hasn't really changed. It's just worse destinations. Maybe the international travel itself has become more expensive and now the $8000-$11000 isn't enough anymore." Meanwhile, a few were supportive of the trip, writing, “I’d love a trip there, a day at Busch Gardens would be a fun time.” One netizen said, “I’d go back in a heartbeat. It’s the place I lived the longest. I was forced to move away, but I loved it there.”
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It’s important to note that this is not the first time that viewers were left wondering if the show was losing its funding. According to Collider, audiences have been complaining that the Bonus Round has become too difficult to solve. Last season, it even saw a record 11 losses in a row. This led some to believe that the puzzles were being made intentionally harder by producers so the contestant wouldn’t win the Bonus Round. The streak was eventually broken by Rachel Grainer. ‘Wheel of Fortune’ will return a brand new season this September, with Seacrest and Vanna White.
