Ryan Seacrest survived his first fumble as host of “Wheel of Fortune” with a little help from co-host Vanna White — and eagle-eyed fans took notice.
The multi-hyphenate host of the long-running show kept a contestant in suspense by pausing too long after they solved a puzzle correctly.
Contestant Cody Hunger was playing a bonus round on the Oct. 4 episode of “Wheel of Fortune,” having just won the weeklong BetMGM Big Winners Tournament.
He opted for a puzzle from the “phrase” category for his final challenge.
After spinning the wheel, Hunter picked four additional letters to help him solve the puzzle: “C, D, Y, O” – letters that also happen to spell his name when reordered.
Hunger had only 10 seconds to secure the $94,900 jackpot, and, despite the pressure, solved the puzzle correctly, guessing “out of the way.” But, rather than immediately proclaim Hunger the winner, Seacrest left him hanging for a couple of suspenseful seconds.
His co-host, White, felt the tension as she smiled and gave a small stifled clap, signaling to Hunger that he guessed correctly while they waited for Seacrest to confirm the win.
Finally, Seacrest spoke. “Cody? That’s it!”
Hunger was clearly relieved, bending backward as he exclaimed, “Oh my God.”
“You got it! Congratulations,” Seacrest said, grinning ear to ear. Hunger was then joined by his friends as confetti and streamers showered the stage.
It didn’t take long for “Wheel of Fortune” fans to weigh in on Seacrest’s belated response, as TV Insider noted.
In a Reddit thread titled, “How about that pause,” the original poster wrote, “What a nightmare for the guy as he had to wait for Ryan to wake up and tell him he got the puzzle.”
“Lol I love Ryan but that’s his first blooper hahaha,” a fan said.
Another defended the host, writing, “Ryan obviously did that for dramatic effect.”
“The pause was robotic. Didn’t even say what he had won with the solve,” another “Wheel” watcher grumbled.
“Lol I love Ryan but that’s his first blooper hahaha,” someone else commented.
One person suggested the pause was intentional. “The pause, I believe, is due to the producers wanting to build up drama,” they wrote. “It’s happened a few times now with Ryan.”
“Not a fan of the way the show’s being produced since he’s taken over the lead Jusss Saying… It was quite awkward.”
Still others discussed White’s response.
“Vanna was clapping as soon as he said it! I came here just to see the reactions,” one fan commented.
Another viewer suggested, “I think because Vanna reacted so quickly it caught my attention so there seemed to be a delay to hearing it was right. I don’t think it was for a reaction.”
They added: “I think he goofed!”
Seacrest began hosting “Wheel of Fortune” on Sept. 9, taking over the job previously held by Pat Sajak.
The “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” producer did not mention Sajak in his opening remarks.
“Welcome to Wheel of Fortune. I am your host, Ryan Seacrest,” he said in his “Wheel” debut. “I still can’t believe my luck being here with you tonight to continue this legacy of this incredible show with all of you and of course, my good friend, Vanna White.”
The former “LIVE with Kelly and Ryan” host thanked the audience for a “very warm welcome” and shared that “hosting Wheel of Fortune is a dream job.”
“I’ve been a fan of this show since I was a kid, watching in Atlanta with my family, and I know how special it is that Wheel has been in your living rooms for the past 40 years, and I’m just so grateful to be invited in,” he told viewers. “I also know I’ve got some very big shoes to fill, so let’s play Wheel of Fortune!”
Seacrest has been doing good numbers for “Wheel.” According to TV Insider, the TV personality’s debut week brought in the show’s strongest week of ratings in five years.