When filming began on Wheel of Fortune this summer, for the first time in 40 seasons, the announcer’s announcement, “Ladies and gentlemen, here are the stars of our show…” was not followed by the names Pat Sajak and Vanna White. Instead, Ryan Seacrest waited backstage, arm in arm with White, as they prepared for the doors to the new LED wall to open so they could stroll through and spin the wheel.

“We have the same doors on ‘American Idol’ – and the same door opener,” Seacrest says when asked what goes through his mind. “So you literally look like you’re standing behind the same set, because the back is just screens and electrical outlets.”

Of course, Seacrest is a seasoned radio and television host, following in the footsteps of radio legends like Casey Kasem, Dick Clark and Regis Philbin, who have hosted everything from New Year’s Eve broadcasts to morning shows. But on that first day of filming “Wheel,” he was nervous. He wanted to give something to the studio audience and the wheel watchers at home.

“It was about making sure it was recorded in a way that made sense and was natural to people,” Seacrest says.

Having White, a friend of 20 years, by his side helped him – even though she was also worried about him. “Because he has a tough job,” says White. “He rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed and gave everything he had to do a good job. And he did it.”

Suzanne Prete, head of game shows at Sony Pictures Television, waited on the other side of those doors with her iPhone, ready to film the action for her boss, Sony Pictures Entertainment President and COO Ravi Ahuja, who was out of the country for the big day.

“Everyone worked so hard to get to this moment,” Prete recalls. “The excitement builds and is palpable.” Before pressing send, she checked the tape. “You could hear me sniffling. It was emotional,” Prete adds. “For Ryan Seacrest to step into Pat Sajak’s very big shoes, for it to go so smoothly and for him to be so good, it was a once in a lifetime event in my career. I’m pinching myself.”

The stakes were high for everyone. When Sajak announced his retirement last June, Sony Pictures Television executives said Seacrest was their “first choice” to replace him. Seacrest had just left Live With Kelly and Ryan, freeing up space in his busy schedule. And with one final season to shoot, Sajak had a year to prepare.

“It’s a whole new circle and it’s very meaningful to me,” Seacrest says of his choice to host “Wheel.” In the ’90s, he was hired by the show’s creator, Merv Griffin, to host “Click,” a teen game show. Back then, Seacrest peppered Griffin with questions over lunch by the pool at the Beverly Hilton. One day, the subject of “Wheel” came up and the television magnate explained what made the show so special.

“He told me it was something that could last forever because it was a simple show that people loved to be a part of. You could sit down on a busy, stressful, hectic day and forget about everything else. He said that was the key ingredient,” Seacrest recalls. “At no point during that conversation did I think I would ever get the opportunity to host.”

Always an avid student, Seacrest combed through “Wheel’s” archive of over 8,000 episodes, watching hundreds of shows and picking the best moments from each decade to learn the nuances of the game. Executive producer Bellamie Blackstone also built a miniature version of the wheel (about the size of an SUV tire), and they practiced in conference rooms across the country while Seacrest was away for work.

“They brought a computer with a screen showing the board and all the sound effects so I could get a feel for it,” he says. The big wheel is harder to operate than it looks. “It’s heavy. I almost fell over trying to spin it.”

Seacrest also visited the set to watch Sajak and White at work, observing the well-oiled machine that is “Wheel.” The crew films six episodes a day, with only time needed for the hosts to change wardrobes and welcome a new trio of contestants in between.

“Wow, they’re not missing a beat. I don’t want to slow them down,” Seacrest thought. “It’s hard going into a brand new show where everything’s slow and you’re putting everything together and trying to figure it out,” he explains. “If it’s not live, which I really love, then this is the kind of taped show you want because there are no kinks that haven’t been worked out yet.”

That was one of the few times Seacrest was able to seek Sajak’s advice before the handoff. Sajak put it simply: “Vanna is the best person to work with. It’s the best show on television. You’re just going to walk people through a game while they win money. There’s not a lot to think about.” (White’s advice was similarly straightforward: “Be yourself and have fun.”)

Seacrest was optimistic about White continuing to work with Wheel. They first met at Griffin’s funeral in 2007, where they sat next to each other, and developed an easy friendship over the next few years. When Seacrest began talks about joining the show, White was busy with her own contract negotiations.

“As a producer and host, I didn’t want to do it with anyone else but Vanna. It was important to me to have her on the show as long as she wanted,” Seacrest says. “And especially for the launch – having two different people would be too much change at once. I made it very clear that it would be a mistake not to have her on board.”

(White eventually extended her contract through the 2025-2026 season. “I wasn’t ready to retire. I have at least two more years on the show and then we’ll see,” she says diversity.)

Seacrest seemed to have mastered his work on the bike in mid-August, when diversity visited the set when he and White filmed episodes that will air the week of Veterans Day. The Sony recording studio was decorated with an American flag motif on the LED wall and the panels on the sides of the wheel and on the floor below. It’s all part of the art deco-inspired redesign – a throwback to the early years of “Wheel.”

“When Ryan walked on set, he was so prepared that he was able to just do what he does best and create a very authentic connection with the contestants,” says Prete. “He’s really fun. He’s done more than expected in that regard. There’s just a whole new energy.”

Seacrest has the right amount of jubilation when contestants land on the million-dollar bet and dismay when they go broke on the next shoot, so it all ebbs and flows effortlessly. It’s remarkable how much energy he seems to have. (It was exhausting to sit through a taping for half a day, not to mention hosting round after round. Clapping for “big money” for two hours takes a lot of energy.)

“So – wheel – I’ll be right back,” Seacrest says with a grin as he makes a silly pun during the commercial break. He looks like he’s having the time of his life.

The “Wheel” team is also on hand. At a time when linear TV ratings are declining, there is pressure to maintain the syndicated game show’s strong average ratings (more than 20 million viewers tune in each week). As the team developed promotional materials for the new season, they realized that “RSTLNE,” the string of letters given to contestants to start the bonus round, would be an apt acronym: “Ryan Seacrest Ushers in New Era.” Then on Friday night, Seacrest and White lit up the famous Ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier with an interactive display of laser projectors that transformed the landmark into the iconic spinning wheel.

“I thought, ‘This is a really clever and memorable way to do it that fits organically with the show,'” Seacrest says of the commercial. “And I hope it’s a long-term one. I’ve committed to many, many years of this show.” How many? “As many as you can get.”

The 42nd season of “Wheel of Fortune” begins airing on September 9. It is distributed domestically by CBS Media Ventures and internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution, both divisions of Paramount.