“Wheel of Fortune” host Ryan Seacrest was tackled to the ground after an overly excited contestant competed on the beloved game show for the grand prize money.
A Pittsburgh native named Daniel showed how ecstatic he was, after an intense bonus round during Tuesday night’s episode.
The category was “Living Things,” and Daniel chose the letters H, G, D and O. After being left with G _ _ _ _ E S, the “Wheel of Fortune” contestant beat the buzzer in what viewers were calling an “insane” moment.
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Once the player guessed “Guppies,” Daniel jumped up and down with excitement before hugging Seacrest and accidentally knocking him down.
After Seacrest was pushed to the ground, Daniel kept asking the host whether he was OK.
Seacrest assured him, “I’m good, I’m good.”
The “Wheel of Fortune” announcer was heard overhead saying, “Daniel, easy on our host, but celebrate with $40,000,” as the contestant took home the grand prize.
Seacrest, 50, was seen holding his back in pain, moving away from Daniel as he approached the host.
“Did I make you fall?” he asked again, as the host proceeded to hide behind the mini-wheel, while announcing that Daniel was taking home a total of $71,950 for his overall game show wins.
After Seacrest and Daniel hugged it out, the host jokingly grimaced in pain and said, “Vanna, you have to take over, but how did you do that in the last second?”
“Push you over or solve the puzzle?” Daniel laughed, and then apologized to Seacrest once more.
The “American Idol” host replied, “No, don’t worry, I loved it.”
The official “Wheel of Fortune” YouTube account shared a recap of the bizarre moment, as Seacrest started the clip and said, “Throw me over, tackle me, I’m totally fine with it,” alongside longtime co-host Vanna White.
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On the game show’s Instagram account, the caption for the recap video read, “Bookmarking this video for when we see an influx of people tackling Ryan in the show,” along with a laughing emoji.
Fans were quick to comment on Seacrest’s fall on “Wheel of Fortune.”
“We’re glad Ryan is okay,” the official “Jeopardy!” Instagram account wrote on the video.
Another viewer commented, “That tackle is worth a lot of money!”
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“Ouch Ryan. Way to go Daniel!!!” a fan remarked.
A “Wheel of Fortune” fan wrote, “Ok I really haven’t been able to understand this game the last couple bonus round solves that contestants have been solving with VERY FEW letters this season, the solves have been INSANE.”
In June 2023, former longtime host Pat Sajak announced he would be exiting the show. A week later, it was announced that Seacrest would be taking over as host in Season 42.
After Sajak’s final episode aired in 2024, Seacrest took to social media to bid the longtime host farewell.
“Pat, congratulations on an incredible run with Wheel of Fortune! Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of himself, Sajak and White.
“Your partnership with Vanna has been nothing short of iconic, and together, you’ve created countless wonderful memories for viewers. You’ve set the standard for hosts everywhere, and this marks the end of an era. Best wishes for all your future endeavors!”
