Insider claims Ryan Seacrest was visibly unprepared to comfort contestant after $1M loss: "He didn't..."
When Pat Sajak bid farewell to 'Wheel of Fortune' after 41 long years, Ryan Seacrest had some big shoes to fill. After debuting as host in Season 41, Seacrest quickly won over fans and carved out a place in their hearts. However, in the fast-paced game show arena, Seacrest found himself unprepared for the emotional outburst triggered by a contestant’s $1 million loss.
During the September 16, 2024 episode of 'Wheel of Fortune,' contestant Vivian entered the Bonus Round with $27,300 in winnings, a European trip, the WILD card for an extra letter, and a chance at the $1 million wedge. She chose the category "What Are You Doing?" and after RSTLNE and her picks (C, H, M, I, and P), the puzzle revealed "_ _ ERIN S_ME HELP." Despite being close, she couldn't solve the answer, "OFFERING SOME HELP," per TV Insider.
As the tension unfolded, Seacrest remarked, "My heart is racing... There’s a lot of money on this wheel tonight. Is she going to be the big winner?" After her time ran out, Seacrest revealed the heartbreaking truth, saying, "You were so close to that $1 million," adding, "You almost had it? You alright?" When she nodded, he gently added, "Breathe… You have been so fantastic. Thank you so much." Speaking to viewers, Seacrest shared how close the moment came to history, "I can’t believe it. When I picked it up, I thought, oh my gosh, this could be it. There it is, so close."
After Seacrest opened the envelope showing she would have won the jackpot had she answered correctly, many criticized his response, saying the host didn’t handle the distraught contestant too well. A behind-the-scenes source shared that Seacrest was caught off guard by the intense moment, revealing, "He didn’t seem to have done a lot of research on big prize winners and how to handle a situation like that. It seemed he didn't really know how to speak to her afterward, as he was in shock, but did his best to try and look on the bright side."
Despite the huge loss, the source noted, "She took it like a champ, but many members of the audience were chatting afterward about how they would have broken down." After the cameras stopped rolling, "Ryan and Vanna briefly spoke to her, and she thanked them." Though Vivian seemed appreciative of her winnings at the moment, the source added, "She still seemed glad to be walking away with something, but who knows how she felt when she got home," per The Sun US. Talking more about Seacrest's reaction, the source said, "He seemed nervous when holding the envelope," pointing out how shaken he was during the high-pressure reveal.
The source further revealed, "A lot of the audience members were looking at each other and acknowledging they knew the answer; it was painful to watch in the studio while cameras were rolling." Visibly stunned, Seacrest even turned to co-host Vanna White and the crew to ask when the last $1 million win happened and was left stunned upon learning it had been about ten years.
