Wheel of Fortune Is TV’s Most-Watched Entertainment Program; Premiere Month Audience Hits 3-Year High

The numbers are in for Wheel of Fortune’s first month with host Ryan Seacrest, and they are wheely something.

Season 42 of the iconic game show, now hosted by Seacrest and franchise vet Vanna White, averaged 7.99 million total viewers from Sept. 9 to Oct. 6, marking Wheel‘s biggest premiere month audience in three years.

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Year-over-year, that audience of nearly 8 million marked a 12% increase; in the 25-54 demo, Wheel of Fortune is up +3%.

Wheel of Fortune also stands as TV’s No. 1 most-watched entertainment program, besting every series — including all primetime fare — during the month of September, across broadcast, cable and syndication.

The superlatives above are but the latest put up by Seacrest and White’s Wheel of Fortune.

Seacrest’s very first episode as full-time host, which aired on Sept. 9, drew north of 9.6 million viewers — surging 70% from last fall’s premiere to mark Wheel of Fortune’s most-watched season opener in nine years.

Seacrest’s first week as host averaged 8.31 million total viewers, up 21% year over year to deliver the game show’s largest premiere week audience in five years.

TVLine reader’s gave Seacrest’s Sept. 9 debut an average grade of “B-“; read our full recap.

Though Seacrest is now lording over Wheel of Fortune five days a week, fans have not seen the last of longtime host Pat Sajak. New episodes of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, with Sajak as host, are set to air on ABC in 2025 (after being bumped from an Oct. 14 premiere).

How have you been enjoying Seacrest’s spin as Wheel host?

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