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Changes are coming to the traditional 'Wheel of Fortune' format.

Sept. 16 2026, Published 4:48 p.m. ET

Wheel of Fortune fans can expect some extra spice this season as the beloved game show gets a rework.

Competitors will now face a "rapid-fire" game to kick off the show that producers have dubbed "Fortune Frenzy," RadarOnline.com can reveal.

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Host Ryan Seacrest hyped up the new game mode.

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The game tests contestants by challenging them to solve puzzles in mere seconds. Each correct answer will win them $1,000. The puzzles will still be in the standard Wheel of Fortune format, but the time adds a new element of pressure.

Introducing the new segment, host Ryan Seacrest told Good Morning America, “This is exciting. A lot of people say, ‘How do you get more games in his show? It’s not a long show.’ So we’re squeezing more gameplay at the top of the show with a rapid-fire game that we just started to have, which I love.”

He also argued adding the mini game early into the episodes allows players to "shake off the nerves" and adjust to the stage before it gets serious.

“Because they’re so excited. The adrenaline is pumping and rushing,” he said. “They’ve got to focus right in on playing the game, and I noticed that when we did some of the first episodes.”

Presenter Vanna White agreed, adding, "They have nothing else on their mind but solving (the puzzle)."

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Vanna White worked with both Pat Sajak and Ryan Seacrest.

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Seacrest began his third season as the show's host, taking over for Pat Sajak. He admitted that he faced "a lot of pressure" over living up to such a legacy. However, he found power in his connection with the audience.

"For me, meeting the three people every night is honestly – giving away the money is super fun – but meeting the people ... I love hearing their stories and getting to know them," he said.

White previously told Entertainment Tonight she enjoys working with Seacrest, and pinning him against Sajak isn't realistic. She told the outlet it was like "comparing apples and oranges."

"They’re both great. Everybody has their own style, and people watching the show can see their personality," she said. "You’ve watched Pat for years, and you see how he is, and you watch Ryan, and you see how he is. They’re both incredible to work with and easy to work with. And I, of course, have enjoyed working with both of them."

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Sources worry the Jim Thornton scandal may scare Seacrest away.

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However, Seacrest's future on the show isn't necessarily guaranteed. A fresh Wheel of Fortune scandal prompted concern he could exit the show.

Longtime Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton was recently suspended from the program after allegedly accessing a chat room for people attracted to minors while aboard an airplane. The incident was reported to airport police at the time, but he was let go after questioning, with no legal action brought against him.

An insider told Closer Weekly the former announcer "went from a cog in the WoF machine to a volcano of bad press for the franchise overnight."

Seacrest would prefer to sidestep the drama, an insider specified, as he's "somebody who is particularly allergic to any kind of scandal and innuendo."

"Ryan doesn't need these kinds of bad vibes when he's still deciding how much more time he wants to devote to this job," the insider claimed. "Sony needs to incentivize him to stick around and weather this storm with them, and they need to do that as soon as possible!"

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Jim Thornton was accused of inappropriate conduct on a plane.

Thornton's lawyer, Allison Hart, said in a statement that the announcer became "active in suicide-prevention advocacy since losing a close family member to suicide two years ago, and he has spent time visiting chat rooms offering support to individuals suffering from suicidal ideation."

She further claimed Thornton believed the site was for suicide prevention, noting his actions were "not unlawful."

"There is no unlawful child p---ography or other p--------- content, and my client never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child p---ography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time," she said.