Ryan Seacrest to take over for Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune

A YEAR AWAY, WE ALREADY KNOW HIS REPLACEMENT. IT IS A FAMILIAR FACE, SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN ON OUR TV SCREENS FOR 20-PLUS YEARS. IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" TO SOLVE THIS PUZZLE. >> HEY, THANK YOU! >> WHEN LONG-TIME HOST PAT SAJAK STEPS DOWN, RYAN SEACREST WILL BECOME THE NEW MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR THE SYNDICATED GAME SHOW. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE TUESDAY, TWO

WEEKS AFTER PAT SAJAK'S RETIREMENT NEWS. SEACREST SAID I'M HUMBLED. I CAN'T WAIT TO CONTINUE THE TRADITION OF SPINNING THE WHEEL AND WORKING ALONGSIDE THE GREAT VANNA WHITE. MANY FANS WONDERED IF WHITE WOULD BE THE ONE TAKING THE WHEEL OF THE POPULAR GAME SHOW. OR PAT SAJAK'S DAUGHTER MAGGIE. EVEN WHOOPI GOLDBERG EXPRESSED INTEREST ON "THE VIEW". >> I THINK IT WOULD BE LOTS OF FUN. >> Reporter:

"WHEEL OF FORTUNE" IS ONE OF THE MOST WATCHED GAME SHOWS IN HISTORY, NOW AVERAGING MORE THAN NINE MILLION VIEWERS A NIGHT. >> VANNA, IT IS OUR 40th SEASON. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? >> I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. >> Reporter: HE FIRST TOOK THE REINS IN '81. PAT SAJAK HAS WON THREE DAYTIME EMMYS FOR OUTSTANDING GAME SHOW HOST, BUT HIS SUCCESSOR'S RESUME IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TOO. SEACREST'S CAREER

SPANS TWO DECADES. >> IS IT PEACH? >> HOSTING "KELLY AND RYAN" TO HIS NATIONALLY SYNDICATED RADIO PROGRAM. >> ARIANA GRANDE IN THE FLESH. >> Reporter: TO HIS 21 SEASONS OF MC OF THE GROUND BREAKING SINGING COMPETITION "AMERICAN IDOL." HE EVEN TOOK OVER FOR DICK CLARK AS THE HOST OF NEW YEAR'S ROCKING EVE. ADDING TO HIS FULL PLATE AS THE "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" SPINS. IN ADDITION TO

SERVING AS HOST, SEACREST WILL ALSO SERVE AS A CONSULTING PRODUCER. "WHEEL OF FORTUNE"'S NEXT SEASON IS SET TO AIR IN SEPTEMBER. SEACREST SAYS HE PLANS TO LEARN AS MUCH AS HE CAN FROM PAT SAJAK IN THE INTERIM. SEACREST IS 48 YEARS OLD, WHICH MEANS HE WAS JUST 6 WHEN PAT SAJAK TOOK OVER AS HOST. BACK TO YOU ALL. >> THANK YOU, JOE. I MEAN, IT'S A

NO BRAINER, KIND