Pat Sajak ‘Clearly Resentful’ of Ryan Seacrest’s New Wheel of Fortune Gig: Report

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Pat Sajak has moved on after Wheel of Fortune, and he’s got no interest in looking back. The former Wheel of Fortune host is enjoying retirement and has even lined up his first post-hosting gig. But new reports indicate Sajak and Ryan Seacrest might be feuding over his Wheel of Fortune exit.

Are Pat Sajak & Ryan Seacrest Feuding After Wheel of Fortune Exit?

Sajak has already lined up work after Wheel of Fortune, so he hasn’t exactly been sitting down waiting for Seacrest, who is set to take his place as the host of the long-running game shot, to ask for his advice. But if new reports are to be believed, he also has “no interest” in helping out Seacrest.

“He’s too busy having fun with all this newfound free time he’s got,” an insider told Closer Weekly, adding that “Pat won’t interfere” with the way things are now run.

That all sounds mostly benign, and if it were just that it would be understandable. Sajak did leave the Wheel of Fortune gig and, logically, he wants some separation from the job after all this time. But the insider also added that Sajak was “clearly resentful of the way he was treated and then kicked off the show.”

Seacrest and Sajak had said nothing but kind words about each other in public, but the source confirmed to Closer that “there’s no denying there’s a bitter satisfaction behind his [Sajak’s] motives.”

In the meantime, the source also added that “Ryan can reach out to Pat if he wants but asking isn’t getting. Pat’s always going to be busy, or he’ll brush Ryan off with a neutral, ‘You got this.”

Wheel of Fortune is set to premiere in the fall, with Seacrest as the host. Filming on the new season began on July 16th, and sources told Closer then that Seacrest understood he had big shoes to fill and was going all out. “He’s in full Mr. Nice Guy mode, putting on the charm, lavishing Vanna and everyone else on the show with his homemade cooking, bringing treats and the occasional gift just because he thought they would like it.”

And when the show premieres, Pat Sajak will be watching, the insider also said. “When Ryan takes over, Pat’s going to be watching and enjoying seeing how he fares in the hot seat which is full of challenges and not nearly as easy as he might think.”