Why ‘The Price Is Right’s Drew Carey Didn’t Give Hosting Advice to Ken Jennings & Ryan Seacrest

Disney/Christopher Willard/Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images/Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for CBS Media Ventures

Drew Carey knows what it takes to step into the shoes of a game show legend.

However, he didn’t pass on any words of wisdom to Ken Jennings and Ryan Seacrest when they took over as hosts of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, respectively.

“Ryan Seacrest certainly doesn’t need my advice!” Carey told TV Insider. “I think Bob [Barker] gave me the best advice. He said, ‘You have to make the show your own, and don’t try to copy me.’ And he’s right. Ken Jennings is doing his own thing. He should do his own thing. Ryan Seacrest has been in the hosting business forever. He knows how to make it his own thing and have it come from himself authentically. That’s the thing when you’re on TV for an hour every day — you can’t really fake too much. It always comes out one way or the other.”

Carey took over as host of The Price Is Right after Barker’s retirement in 2007. Meanwhile, Jennings was named the permanent host of Jeopardy! in December 2023 following Alex Trebek‘s October 2020 death.

At first, the former champion filled in as a guest host, then split the hosting duties with Mayim Bialik beginning in 2021 before he took on the position full-time.

Pat Sajak left Wheel of Fortune in 2024 after hosting the show for more than 40 years.

Sony confirmed in 2023 that Seacrest would be his replacement, and the former morning show host took over in September 2024.

On his first day, Seacrest got some friendly advice from Sajak and longtime letter flipper Vanna White. “Pat and Vanna both said to me when I first got here, ‘The best part is you’re going to meet three new people every night, and they walk away with cash!’” he dished on Good Morning America.

He also assured viewers he wouldn’t be changing things up from the way they were done with Sajak at the helm. “Don’t make any changes. Don’t touch it. This show works,” Seacrest explained. “All I need to do is keep it moving. And all we need to do is have fun every night. If that happens, then I think this show continues for a long time.”

The Price Is Right, Weekdays, 11/10c, CBS

– Additional reporting by Amanda Bell

Believe It or Not, the Ratings Improved on ‘The Price Is Right’ When This Happened to Bob Barker

Custom Image by Zanda Rice

In the pantheon of game shows, The Price Is Right stands out for a number of reasons. It boasts a staggering record of over 9,000 episodes — a number that even long-running game shows like Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune haven’t been able to crack. It featured a number of famous faces, including Wheel‘s longtime co-host Vanna White. But one of the biggest draws has to be the show’s former host, Bob Barker; from 1972 to his retirement in 2007, Barker’s wit and charm were a major draw of The Price Is Right. But according to Barker, one thing happened to him that drove up the ratings for the show. What exactly was this life-changing development?

Bob Barker Going Gray Led to ‘The Price Is Right’s Ratings Increasing

Image via CBS

Barker sat down with the Los Angeles Times in 1990 to discuss The Price Is Right, particularly its lengthy tenure and success. During the interview, he revealed that the ratings began to increase due to his hair going gray: “I was prematurely gray…I began to gray at my temples, and I guess it could be that technology at that time was not what it is today, but I didn’t look good. It looked like I had no hair at my temples, so they suggested I tint it.” But this didn’t have the desired effect, as Barker tinting his hair led to it turning blue, while dying made it an apparently unflattering shade of red. Finally, Barker decided to embrace the gray.

This led to a hilarious moment, which is due in part to The Price Is Right being pre-taped. “We taped ahead…So let’s say on the Wednesday show I had dark hair, but when we taped the next show I had gray hair and that show aired on Thursday. I got a letter from a fellow who said, ‘Bob, you must have had one hell of a night‘” Barker chuckled. While Barker’s graying hair might have been a major ratings boost, his demeanor as a host was a large part of it as well. He’d treat each taping of The Price Is Right as if it were airing live, which helped audiences to feel as if they were part of the audience. It also didn’t hurt that he had experience hosting another TV show.

Bob Barker Hosted Another Game Show During ‘The Price Is Right’s Early Days

Image via CBS

Prior to The Price Is Right‘s debut, Barker was the host of Truth or Consequences. Truth or Consequences lived up to its name by having the contestants answer a series of questions, and if they didn’t answer in time, they had to face the “consequences” — which often resulted in their performance of an embarrassing stunt. One episode had a contestant shoving a pie in her husband’s face! Barker even got in on the action, with a game called “Barker’s Box” that either had money or a “surprise” (and not usually a pleasant one). Both Truth and Consequences and The Price Is Right showcased Barker’s range as a host since he was a bit of an impish prankster on the former but more jovial and approachable on the latter. Though Truth and Consequences may not be as well known as The Price Is Right, it does have its own lasting legacy as there’s a town in New Mexico named after the show.

Reader, come on down!

Bob Barker Enjoyed a Healthy Career Thanks to ‘The Price Is Right’

With The Price Is Right‘s success came plenty of chances for Barker to make his mark on pop culture. Probably the most infamous is his appearance on Happy Gilmore where he beats up Adam Sandler‘s titular golfer (on the condition that he actually got to throw his punches). But Barker also played a role in other television shows, including SpongeBob SquarePants (where he played a thinly veiled version of himself called “Bob Barnacle”) and How I Met Your Mother, since Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) mistakenly believed at the time that Barker was his father. Even after retiring in 2007, Barker made a handful of appearances on The Price Is Right, with one of them celebrating his 90th birthday!

The fact that Bob Barker embracing his age made The Price Is Right skyrocket in the ratings is a surprise. But it also shows that transparency can go a long way; rather than running away from the fact that he was graying, Barker didn’t hide it and didn’t let it affect his hosting abilities.

‘The Price Is Right’ Drew Carey Insults Model On-Air

Drew Carey is known for making jokes in his role as host of The Price is Right, notably when he recently asked to marry a contestant. During a recent episode, Carey made a joke concerning one of the show’s models. However, his comments ended up rubbing some fans the wrong way.

One Price Is Right Contestant Got A Chance At A New Car

Throughout the show, the models help to reveal prices and celebrate with contestants. Some of the current models on the show include Manuela Arbelaez, Amber Lancaster, and Rachel Reynolds.

In one recent episode, a contestant got to try her luck with the “Let ‘Em Roll,” getting the chance to win a new car. Similar to Yahtzee, the game involves five dice. Contestants get one roll with the chance to earn more by guessing the relative price of grocery items.
Drew Carey – YouTube
The player can win a car if the dice reveals a car symbol. However, they can also earn cash amounts. After landing on cash, one contestant, Michele decided to roll again instead of walking away with the money.

This spurred Carey to reveal a little about one of the show’s models. “She’s gonna roll again. Thank you, Manuela,” said Drew as the model collected the dic. He then revealed, “Manuela used to work in a casino in Colombia…when she was young.” He also joked that she couldn’t talk about it.

In the end, Michele ended up winning the new car she wanted after all. Drew congratulated her and even high-fived Arbelaez.

Some Fans Came To Manuela’s Defense Online

On social media, some fans took issue with Carey talking about Manuela’s previous line of work. As one fan suspected on instagram, “He has beef with Manuela.”

Another wrote, “For real! ‘When she was young,’” pairing it with a skull emoji. One commenter also replied, “People need to stop making fun of Manuela Arbelaez when she’s on TPIR.”

 

As another shared, “This man just roasting Manuela for no reason.” One commenter especially came to the model’s defense, saying “Manuela is a SAINT! He needs to show some damn respect!”

As noted by Monsters & Critics, Arbelaez was born in Colombia and has since become a naturalized American. Back in 2008, she competed in The Price Is Right Model search. She didn’t win, but made such an impression on the production that she became a permanent model for the show anyway the following year.

Did you see this recent episode of The Price is Right? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.

Ryan Seacrest slammed for flaunting Time’s Up bracelet at Golden Globes amidst misconduct claims

The popular host has strenuously denied the accusation.

PTI

LOS ANGELES: TV host Ryan Seacrest accessorised his velvet suit with a Time’s Up bracelet at the 2019 Golden Globes red carpet, a year after he was accused of sexual misconduct.

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Seacrest showed off his bracelet on the one-year anniversary of the organisation’s creation after a stylist filed a police report with the LAPD alleging he sexually harassed her.

Suzie Hardy first came forward to Variety, claiming she endured abuse for years as Seacrest’s stylist at the E! network.

The popular host has strenuously denied the accusation and a third-party investigator later found the claim to be unsubstantiated.

Viewers on social media immediately called out Seacrest for sporting the bracelet.

“Ryan Seacrest wearing a Time’s Up wristband should cause him to burst into flames like a sinner in church,” wrote a Twitter user.

“Ryan Seacrest is wearing? A Time’s Up bracelet? While everyone just kinda ignores that he was one of the accused men last year? SURE OK,” commented another.
“What gives Ryan Seacrest the ego to wear a #TimesUp bracelet? Does he think we forgot?” tweeted another one. “My dude, the time for you is not today”.

A user wroter, “Ryan Seacrest wearing a #TimesUp bracelet really is the definition of irony, isn’t it?”

Ryan Seacrest in Time’s Up gear. No.

— Kim Masters (@kimmasters) January 7, 2019

At last year’s Oscars red carpet, actor Taraji P Henson shaded Seacrest about the accusations against him.

“The universe has a way of taking care of good people,” Henson said to Seacrest, touching his chin. “Know what I mean?”

Ryan Seacrest Fans Are Emotional Over His Major Foundation Update

Ryan Seacrest is a busy man these days, but he carves time in his schedule for a cause that’s close to his heart.

Back in 2010, the American Idol and Wheel of Fortune host used his philanthropic Ryan Seacrest Foundation to give back to children who are being treated at hospitals all over the country. He made an initiative to create “Seacrest Studios,” or state-of-the-art media centers that allowed the patients to explore the world of media that Ryan lives in every day. In November of that year, Ryan opened the first of the studios at the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

Ryan has since opened up a total of 14 locations across the United States, but he wanted to give some love to his home base by renovating his first “Seacrest Studio” to include the latest technology. What’s more, he went down to Atlanta on October 11 to celebrate the grand reopening with his family and loved ones.

“From the very first studio to this incredible new space!” he wrote alongside a photo uploaded on Instagram. “Glad to be back to celebrate the grand reopening of #SeacrestStudios at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital.”

When fans saw Ryan’s foundation update, folks couldn’t help but get emotional over it in the comments.

“Love what you are doing with your foundation,” one person wrote. “Thank you Ryan for all you do for the children! ❤️,” another declared. “Way to go Ryan! you and your family make such a difference in these kids life 👏👏👏 love you,” a different follower added.

If Ryan’s touching return to the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta wasn’t enough, he had one more amazing story to tell in an Instagram video. As it turned out, one of the guests in attendance happened to be a young girl named Leah, who was in treatment when the first Seacrest Studios opened. At the time, she was the first person interviewed in the media center, and more than a decade later, she is now one of the nurses working at the hospital that treated her.

“It was more than just a reopening, it was a homecoming.,” Ryan added in the caption. “And it was moments like this that made today so special.”

Why 60 Minutes is not airing in January 26?

Scott Pelley (left) on 60 Minutes. | Credit: CBS News

60 Minutes‘ in-depth reporting is once again being placed on the bench, as the news program is not airing a new episode on Sunday, January 26. In fact there will be no episode at all of 60 Minutes this week, and the reason is a familiar one: the NFL playoffs.

Specifically, the AFC Championship game. The game, which will decide who represents the conference in Super Bowl LIX on February 9, is being played between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, with kickoff set to take place at 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT.

Coverage of the game is not expected to conclude until 10 pm ET/7 pm PT, but rather than squeeze in a late edition of 60 Minutes, CBS is instead going to use the chance to preview one of its new shows, Watson, a medical drama that stars Morris Chestnut as Sherlock Holmes’ famous counterpart, airing at 10 pm ET/7 pm PT. Local news will follow Watson but then CBS has also announced they are going to air a special live episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35 pm ET/8:35 pm PT on January 26.

60 Minutes has only had one new episode in January, which aired on January 12. Otherwise, the news program has been preempted for other programming; first by the Golden Globes on January 5 and last week for an NFL Divisional Round game.

It is not clear at this time if 60 Minutes is going to be back with a new episode on Sunday, February 2. There are no more NFL games airing on CBS after this week, but the network is the broadcast home of the Grammys on February 2. That awards ceremony is taking place at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, which may impact the network’s decision to air a new episode of 60 Minutes.

Of course you can still watch previous episodes of 60 Minutes in place of the show not being on CBS this week. The last 14 seasons of 60 Minutes are available to stream right now on Paramount Plus (subscription required).

Ryan Seacrest slams Mariah Carey for ‘Rockin’ Eve’ debacle

Ryan Seacrest is still sore over Mariah Carey’s claims his production team sabotaged her ill-fated “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” performance.

During her performance, Carey lip-synced and stumbled her way through her segment, saying that her inner ear monitors weren’t working properly. Her manager, Stella Bulochnikov, claimed later that Dick Clark Productions was aware of the issue before the performance began and did nothing to address it.

“Once things went wrong, they took the decision to keep rolling and make her look like a train wreck for the ratings,” Bulochnikov told Page Six.

Dick Clark Productions called the allegations “defamatory,” and Seacrest, 42, vehemently denied that the production team was behind the disaster.

“What was going through my head [in that moment] was and is: That crew, that team, that staff is the best in the business,” Seacrest said firmly on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen” on Thursday.

“They put on the biggest live music events and they know what they’re doing, and I know how good they are at their jobs,” he continued. “So my reaction was, she was working with the best — I find it hard to believe they made big mistakes that night.”

Still, Seacrest admitted that, like Carey, 47, it was hard for him to hear what was going on because of all the noise surrounding him.

“When it was happening, it was hard for me to see and hear because we’re in Times Square and there’s a lot going on,” he conceded. “I had to be told that something was going on and then try and find a monitor to react to, so I wasn’t quite sure what was happening, actually.”

“Dick Clark would not have let an artist go through that and he would have been as mortified as I was in real time,” he said.
Mariah Carey and Ryan Seacrest at “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve”Getty Images for dcp
Seacrest’s comments echoed the opinion he shared in January about the incident.

“I know this team of producers — I’ve known these guys for years. I knew Dick Clark very, very well,” he said. “This is a team that wants to do everything they can to accommodate any artist. We are in the business of wanting people to look good and, believe me, tricky things, tough things can happen. It happens on live television. You’ve seen artists before in a concert pull out their earpiece because something happens. Something could have happened in the ears. I wasn’t in those ears. It’s just unfortunate that it comes to all of this.”

CBS staff ‘excited and fearful’ for what’s next after Norah O’Donnell’s exit

Exclusive: ‘She’s been hemorrhaging viewers for a long time, and nothing was really working,’ one source told The Independent

Norah O’Donnell signs off from CBS Evening News for the final time, telling viewers it’s ‘been the honor of a lifetime.’ (CBS News)

Norah O’Donnell signed off for the final time as CBS Evening News anchor on Thursday night, ending an era that began in 2019 and saw her become one of the few women to helm a nightly broadcast news show.

CBS staffers told The Independent that they are both “excited and fearful” over a new iteration of CBS Evening News, adding that “nothing was really working” under O’Donnell’s leadership.

The network insiders cited O’Donnell’s “risk-averse” and “middle-of-the-road” approach to stories as a key reason the show wasn’t resonating with viewers. To that point, CBS Evening News pulled in just 4.6 million viewers during the fourth quarter last year, drawing 3 million fewer than ABC’s World News Tonight.

At the same time, network employees pointed out that the 51-year-old journalist is a “beloved figure” within the CBS halls who has always supported her colleagues — especially women.

As O’Donnell moves into a new role as a senior correspondent, CBS Evening News — which has long been stuck in third place in the evening news broadcast ratings — will transition to a two-man team of John Dickerson and Maurice Dubois. The program, which has been based in Washington, D.C., will return to New York, and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan will serve as its lead correspondent out of Washington.

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Norah O’Donnell signs off from CBS Evening News for the final time, telling viewers it’s ‘been the honor of a lifetime.’ (CBS News)

O’Donnell’s emotional farewell on Thursday night was punctuated by the surprise appearance of talk show legend Oprah Winfrey, who praised O’Donnell for the “incredible impact” she’s made throughout her career.

“It has been an incredible five and a half years,” O’Donnell said at the end of Thursday’s broadcast, noting that she was told a “surprise guest” would be appearing to help “look back” at the show’s accomplishments.

Winfrey then appeared on the screen and teed up a montage that included O’Donnell’s interviews with Pope Francis and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“You have so much to be proud of,” Winfrey said. “Your work as the anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News has not only won awards, but more importantly, has made such a difference and informed our nation.”

An emotional O’Donnell turned back to the camera to express her gratitude for her years leading the network’s nightly news broadcast.

“This has been the honor of a lifetime to anchor this legacy broadcast,” she said. “The CBS Evening News, for good reason, is the longest-running evening newscast in America. And it is powered by the finest journalists in the world.”

O’Donnell continued: “The correspondents, producers, researchers and crews who work tirelessly to bring you the news every night — that won’t change because journalism matters. I know that because I’ve heard that from so many of you — our viewers. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for trusting us and welcoming hard news with heart into your homes.”

The CBS Evening News crew then surrounded O’Donnell’s desk and gave her a round of applause as the broadcast began wrapping up. “I will miss you too. So for the final time, that’s tonight’s CBS Evening News. I owe it all to everyone I work with. Seriously. Love you. Good night,” she concluded.

O’Donnell’s goodbye on Thursday night comes months after she announced that she would step down as anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News “to take on a new position at the network” after the election. She noted then that she would move into a new role as a senior correspondent, which would see her contribute long-form reporting to the network’s news broadcasts and CBS’s award-winning news magazine 60 Minutes.

Taking over the anchor chair from Jeff Glor in 2019, O’Donnell — who previously co-anchored the network’s morning show — could not turn around CBS Evening News’ middling ratings during her five-plus years at the helm. Under her watch, which saw the show move to D.C. to focus more on the national political scene, the broadcast was mired in third place with an average of less than 5 million viewers, well behind ABC News’ David Muir and NBC’s Lester Holt.

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Oprah applauded O’Donnell for the “incredible impact” she’s made throughout her career (CBS News)

CBS News staffers told The Independent that while O’Donnell is a “fantastic” person and “great” colleague who has the “goods” to be a successful evening news anchor, the show seemed to suffer because of its “risk-averse” and “middle of the road” approach.

“She’s been hemorrhaging viewers for a long time, and nothing was really working,” one source said. The source added that while her approach was initially well-received, staffers on the show soon began to worry that her interviews lacked hard-hitting questions and were too soft.

At the same time, CBS journalists and staff are “excited and fearful” about the new CBS Evening News program, which will debut on Monday. The show’s new leadership harkens back to 60 Minutes and the network’s previous iterations of CBS Evening News, which was once anchored by current 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley.

“I’m super excited,” one CBS reporter said. “Longer pieces. 60 Minutes sensibility. Respected anchors like John and Maurice. Sign me up!”

A representative for CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Besides Dickerson and Dubois, the program will be supervised by 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, and 60 Minutes veteran producer Guy Campanile will serve as its executive producer. Respected writer Jerry Cipriano is returning to the network as the show’s senior news editor and senior producer.

Sources pointed out that while staff are thrilled about the potential of working on more in-depth and character-driven stories going forward, they still have concerns about the “cutthroat nature” and demanding work environment that 60 Minutes has long been known for.

Meanwhile, O’Donnell’s departure from the evening broadcast takes place as the entire TV news industry is currently in a state of upheaval amid sinking viewership and dwindling ad revenues as Americans continue to cut the cord and turn to alternative sources for news. Just this week, CNN announced that it was laying off hundreds of employees as it pivots to a digital-centric model.

Her own network is also currently being tasked with cutting millions of dollars in costs as parent company Paramount is slashing the budget and laying off thousands of workers ahead of a planned merger with Skydance Media. That merger may also push Paramount execs to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over the editing of 60 Minutes’ interview with Harris.

Even before she exited the anchor’s chair, O’Donnell had seen her salary slashed in half when she signed an extension in 2022. Not only did that indicate she was on borrowed time leading the program, but it also hinted at the coming “haircuts” that other well-paid news personalities would soon be offered to keep their jobs, with many deciding to walk rather than take reduced salaries.

“The God-like days are definitely over for news anchors,” Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communication chair Anthony Adornato told USA Today this week.

‘Price is Right’ host Drew Carey stunned as contestants turn the stage into dance floor with wild moves

The host is experienced but he never saw what was coming when the mother-daughter duo were elated.

Screenshots showing the contestants and Drew Carey on Price Is Right (Cover image source: TikTok/The Price Is Right)

Drew Carey has been the face of “The Price Is Right” for quite some time and has carried forward the legacy of iconic hosts that came before him with his wit and charm. However, sometimes, even the seasoned host is taken aback by the actions of players who go overboard while celebrating. In one such incident, Carey turned a bit pink as a mother and daughter duo danced on him to celebrate their “Grand Game” win.

Screenshot showing Drew Carey’s reaction (Image Source: YouTube/Price is Right/Entertainment Tonight)
 

In the episode, the mother and daughter duo, Sharol and Tionna took on the Grand Game to win some extra money.  In the game, contestants get a chance to win up to $10,000 by picking grocery products under a target price. The players can see $1 to begin with and are given a target price. Six different grocery items out of which four of them cost less than the target price are displayed to them.  All the players need to do is pick out the four items that cost less, and with each correct pick, a zero is added to their $1 prize. If they get all four items right, they get to take the “Grand Prize” of $10,000 home.

For the mother-daughter duo, Carey revealed the target price as  $6.50. “All you have to do is tell me which four [are under that price], and every time you get one right, we’ll add one zero to that board,” he explained.

The six grocery items for the duo included a 16-ounce container of “Mom’s Best Cereals Quick Oats”, one “Scrub Daddy’s Scrub Mommy Scrubbing Sponge”, a six-count box of “Nestlē’s Abuelita Hot Chocolate Tablets”, a 25-ounce jar of “Yo Mama’s Spicy Marinara Tomato Sauce”, one 0.34-ounce box of “Mommy’s Bliss Baby Probiotic Drops”, and an 11-ounce package of “Grandma’s Frozen Noodles Wide Egg Noodles”.
Screenshots showing the contestants and one of the grocery items (Image source: TikTok/The Price Is Right)

To begin the game, Carey asked the players to pick the item that they were sure cost less than $6.50. After a brief discussion and with some help from the audience, they picked the egg noodles as their first item. This turned out to be correct as the noodles had a price tag of $4.29.

For the second item, the team made the correct guess as the oats were priced at $3.29. They went on to make another correct guess with the Scrub Mommy sponge, earning a total of $1,000.

“You guys have $1,000; you can stop right now if you want because if you get the next one wrong, you lose everything,” Carey told them reminding them of the risk. “You do get an extra nine grand if you get this next one right,” he added.  After some deliberation, the team decided to carry one and go for the big prize.

For their fourth pick, they took a little more time and some suggestions from the audience before landing on the hot chocolate. The host then revealed that the price of the product was $5.49 which meant they had won $10,000.
Screenshots showing the contestants celebrating their win (Image source: TikTok/The Price Is Right)
Jubilant about their victory, the two started running and jumping around the stage to celebrate. After bumping into each other they ran over to Carey and started griding near the host. Carey was blushing and that clearly showed that he wasn’t prepared to handle the situation.

Viewers in the comments too felt the energy of the players and cheered their win. “They bumped up BIG win…🔥🔥🔥✅🎯💯❗👌✌️🙏 nice one,” @themoultonpot wrote.

Wheel of Fortune’s Ryan Seacrest Takes a Tumble While Celebrating With Contestant

Ryan Seacrest found him himself taking a sudden fall during a celebration with a contestant.

Ryan Seacrest’s hosting duties recently saw an unexpected spin.

During the Jan. 21 episode of Wheel of Fortune, the host went viral for his hilarious accident with contestant Daniel Thomas. Thomas made it to the Bonus Round and selected the Living Things category for his final puzzle.

After Vanna White placed his chosen letters (“G,” “U,” “E,” and “S”) on the board, Thomas solved the answer in the last second: “Guppies,” leading him to celebrate his win by giving Seacrest a tight hug. Well, maybe too tight.

Just as he let Seacrest go, the host lost his balance and fell backwards near the wheel.

To this, Thomas leaned up over to help Seacrest from the floor while laughing. The host reassured Thomas he was fine, before playfully holding his side and telling Vanna she “might have to take over” the rest of the show.

Later on, Seacrest asked Thomas how he “did that in the last second.”

As for Thomas’ perfect response? “Push you over,” he joked, “or solve the puzzle?”

It could’ve been those bonus round jitters that elevated the hug. However, it certainly helped Thomas secure a major gift. Seacrest revealed he won an additional $40,000 alongside his previous cash prize and a trip to Alaska.

This isn’t the first time Seacrest has hit the pavement on national television. During his previous stint co-hosting Live with Kelly and Ryan in January 2020, Seacrest fell out of his chair while trying to catch a balloon. Kelly Ripa had a similar stunned reaction as Thomas and immediately helped her cohost back to his seat.

Nearly a month later, Seacrest explained what it was that made him lose his balance. “Normally, we have little balloons that fall down, but [executive producer Michael Seth Gelman] went big and got these grand, gorgeous, shiny disco balloons that caught my eye,” he said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in February. “I couldn’t stop staring at them, so I tried to catch one of the balloons.”