Ryan Seacrest was so excited about his first day hosting Wheel of Fortune that he could barely sleep the night before.
The longtime American Idol host took over the syndicated game show from Pat Sajak, who ended his four-decade run as host last month.
On Tuesday, Seacrest shared a video on his Instagram, giving fans a behind-the-scenes peek at what his first day as host looked like. “A glimpse of my first day at @wheeloffortune, and I’m still spinning with excitement!” he wrote in the post’s caption.
“My heart’s pounding,” Seacrest added at the beginning of the video as he arrived at the show’s set. “I’m so excited.”
Once inside the studio, the former Live with Kelly and Ryan co-host took his turn at spinning the iconic wheel, saying it’s “maybe smaller than you think — as am I.”
“You know, I could not sleep last night, I was so excited,” Seacrest continued. “I slept OK, but still very excited for the alarm to go off.”
Elsewhere in the video, he also pointed out a TV screen playing an old clip of Sajak and co-host Vanna White smashing pies in each other’s faces. He also showed fans some Wheel of Fortune memorabilia in a display case, including Emmys trophies and White’s old dresses.
Earlier this year, Seacrest admitted that he felt the pressure to continue Sajak’s legacy, however, he also noted that he has spent a lifetime unknowingly preparing for the role of host.
“I’ve been watching the show all my life, and I’ve been watching it as much as I can as an adult and as a child,” Seacrest told People in April, adding, “I think that this is a show that means so much to a lot of people. It’s a part of their lives, they like to get together at the end of the day and try and solve the puzzles. And for me, it’s a chance to give away cash and prizes and work with the legendary Vanna White.”
The Wheel of Fortune episodes starring Seacrest are set to begin airing in September, with White continuing to co-host the game show.
