‘Wheel of Fortune’ host Pat Sajak replaced by Jared Leto in puzzling move
Jared Leto was having a wheely good April Fools’ Day.
The Oscar winner, 52, stopped by Monday night’s episode of “Wheel of Fortune,” where he shocked viewers by pretending to host.
He glided onto the colorful neon-lit stage with famed letter-turner Vanna White, while OG host Pat Sajak was nowhere to be found.
“Here are the stars of our show, Jared Leto and Vanna White,” the MC announced as the duo walked in, their arms linked.
“Have a great show and see you soon,” Leto said before taking his place by the puzzle board.
The saying is Sajak’s catchphrase that he tells White, 67, at the beginning of every episode of the ABC game show.
The “Suicide Squad” star continued without hesitation: “All right everybody, grab those devices, it’s time to give away some money. A $1000 in our first toss-up, the category is on the map.”
Then in an instant, the trivia show cut to Sajak, 77, hosting as he normally does.
Fans were confused by the act, taking to social media to express their befuddlement.
“[I] was wondering what happened?! Lol,” someone tweeted.
“It was extremely weird that they never said anything about it, even at the end of the show,” another added.
“My wife thought I had a stroke. I was like, ‘You see who’s hosting? It’s Jared Leto.’ Then it wasn’t,” a third wrote.
Leto’s quick appearance was never mentioned again.
Last year, the “Dallas Buyer’s Club” actor and his brother Shannon Leto, 54, both popped over to “Wheel.”
They appeared as contestants and attempted to solve a puzzle in the “Show Biz” category. The bit was constructed to announce the world tour this year of their band, Thirty Seconds to Mars.
The siblings have both been members of the rock group since it was formed in 1998 in Los Angeles.
Sajak has hosted the long-running series since 1981, revealing last June that the 2023-2024 season will be his last.
Following Sajak’s retirement news, Ryan Seacrest was announced as the new host.
“Well, the time has come. I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last,” Sajak wrote in his emotional send-off at the time. “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)”
Some viewers have called for White to replace Sajak, as she has been a staple on the show since 1982.
She’s since signed on for two more years through the 2026 season. According to TMZ, White got a “substantial pay increase” with her deal.
