‘Wheel of Fortune’ player spills show secrets as she reveals what Ryan Seacrest is really like on set
With 42 seasons in its kitty, 'Wheel of Fortune' has to be one of the most successful game shows on TV. However, behind the glitz and glamour of the game show, there is a rigorous selection process, which many are unaware of. Opening up about the show's best-kept secrets, one contestant recently shared behind-the-scenes insights, and we couldn't have asked for more.
The contestant in question is Kylene Foster, who appeared in the Wednesday, May 28, episode of 'Wheel of Fortune' and talked about her experience on the show in an interview with her local news station, WOTL 11 in Tiffin, Ohio. Speaking ahead of her episode's airdate, Foster didn't reveal whether she won big but shared, 'I had the best time.' She further shared, "I was going through a tough time in my life, and I made a commitment to myself to put myself back out there more, get back out into the world, and stop letting fear hold me back. So, I needed to do bigger things," as per TV Insider.
Foster continued, "I saw the casting call come through on Facebook and I thought, 'This could be kind of cool.'" Although she knew the odds of appearing on the show were slim, Foster was determined. After submitting her application, she received a Zoom interview invite from a casting director in late September 2024. By December, she was told she was "strongly being considered," and by February, she had her official taping date.
When asked what went through her mind upon receiving the taping date, Foster exclaimed, "Oh my gosh! Can I do this? I was like, 'Heck yes, I can.' She then described the behind-the-scenes process, which involved "legal mumbo jumbo" to clarify what contestants could say publicly before their episode aired, followed by extensive rehearsals. Foster also revealed she spent "about 10 hours" on set, as she didn't tape her episode until the sixth one filmed that day.
A self-proclaimed Ryan Seacrest fan, Foster also opened up about her experience meeting him, saying, "I was a little starstruck in the beginning, but by the time I got to the sixth episode, I was like, this is a dude I would run into at the corner bar. He was very personable." On meeting Vanna White, Foster recalled how she greeted contestants in the morning rundown wearing "yoga pants, a sweatshirt, no makeup, and her hair in a bun." Foster added, "She was just the most down-to-earth and beautiful in person."
Talking about her entire game show journey, Foster said it felt like "the most amazing summer camp with the most amazing people." For her, it wasn't about winning money or prizes. Instead, she shared a deeper motivation, revealing, "I wanted to send a message to the world to say, 'I'm still here. I'm still standing. I was down, but I was never out. The entire experience just lit something up in me." She ended by expressing, "I'm excited for what's next."
Notably, Foster, who had an impressive run on the show, unfortunately lost in the Bonus round, as per Collider. Reportedly, Foster headed into the bonus round with a total of $20,950 and chose the category 'What are you doing?', which was known to vary in difficulty. The standard letters R, S, T, L, N, and E revealed only an 'N.' Her additional choices, C, H, B, and O, only produced an 'O,' leaving the puzzle as, 'O N O_ _.'
When time began, she guessed 'Boxing Old' and 'Boring Old,' but neither was correct. The answer was 'Dozing Off.' Even host Seacrest sympathized, saying, "That would've been hard to get without more letters." Then he opened the envelope and revealed the painful twist as she had just missed out on $40,000, which would've brought her total to over $60,000.