‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant bench presses Ryan Seacrest on-air — and that wasn’t even the wildest part
The high-stakes game of 'Wheel of Fortune' often ends on a bittersweet note—players either win big or go home empty-handed—but there's never a dearth of drama. In one such episode, something surprising happened to host Ryan Seacrest, and let's just say it was the most unexpected thing to ever happen on the show. And as if that wasn't enough, a contestant's dream of driving away in a brand-new Mercedes-Benz was also shattered, making for a drama-filled episode.
On the Friday, July 11 rerun of 'Wheel of Fortune,' Seacrest was unexpectedly (and playfully) "manhandled" by contestant Will McHugh, a muscular gym-goer from Tampa, Florida. When the host asked, "What’s your max? Is that the right gym question?" McHugh replied, "Yeah, my max on bench is 315." A stunned Seacrest responded, "Wait, 315? That's three of me! 315 pounds?" to which McHugh joked, "If I laid down, I could probably bench you." Amused, Seacrest quickly responded, "Lie down," prompting him to literally lie down on the studio floor and bench press the host.
View this post on Instagram
Afterward, McHugh checked in, "Are you okay?" to which Seacrest replied, "I'm great, Will, thank you very much. I think you deserve to win something anyway right now for that." Despite his brief moment of fame, McHugh finished last with $2,000, while the other contestant, Ari Soto, placed second with $6,700. Meanwhile, Christine Seminerio took home $38,600 in cash and also won a trip to Hawaii. In the Bonus Round, Seminerio chose the 'Person' category and selected the letters H, P, D, and A, which revealed the puzzle as "_ H E S S / P R _ D _ _ _."
Seminerio correctly guessed the first word as "chess" but struggled with the second, incorrectly guessing "chess powder." When time ran out, Seacrest revealed the correct answer was "chess prodigy," and that she had missed out on winning a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLA250. In another surprising moment, during the Monday, May 19 episode of 'Wheel of Fortune,' Seacrest took an unexpected tumble during the closing segment of the 'Margaritaville'-themed episode. While attempting to climb onto an inflatable parrot-shaped pool float, he tripped over his feet and performed a full somersault.
View this post on Instagram
Co-host Vanna White responded with amusement, saying, "Are you okay? That was quite a roll!" After his comical tumble, Seacrest told White, who was already relaxing on her float, "I need a breather after that." Noticing how at ease she looked, he added, "Why do you look like you've done this before? to which White calmly replied, "Because I have. Just relax." Seacrest, still catching his breath, joked, "I've never heard that term before." Reportedly, in April, Seacrest experienced another on-stage wipeout while filming 'Wheel of Fortune.'
View this post on Instagram
During the episode, Seacrest shared his enthusiasm for the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling Festival in the UK, where participants chase a rolling wheel of cheese down a steep hill. To demonstrate the event, Seacrest dramatically face-planted on stage. White reacted with concern, asking, "Oh no! Are you going to be OK?" She then reassured viewers, saying, "He’s OK!" Seacrest bounced back, held up a 'Wheel of Fortune' cheese prop, then playfully hid behind White, breathless, as he waved goodnight to the audience.
