Ryan Seacrest surprised co-host Vanna White by revealing a simple behind-the-scenes secret on Wheel of Fortune — the clicking noise made when contestants spin the wheel is produced by rubber bands. Seacrest disclosed the detail during an interview promoting the game show's 43rd season on Good Morning America on Sept. 5.
"Do you know the clicking sound? There are rubber bands — like you used to have with orthodontia on your teeth — that’s what makes the clicking," Seacrest told the morning program. White responded, "Do you know I never knew that?" Seacrest replied, "Well, welcome to season 43!"
Seacrest, who took over hosting duties after Pat Sajak's retirement in 2024, has overseen one season of the long-running program. Sajak's 42-year run on the show made him one of television's most recognizable game-show hosts; he began hosting in 1981 and was joined by White the following year. White has since signed a contract extension that will keep her on the program through the 2025-26 season.
The click of the wheel is one of several small mechanics that contribute to the show's familiar on-air rhythm. Seacrest's disclosure drew attention because it demystified an element longtime viewers may have assumed was purely mechanical or electronic. The exchange also highlighted the on-air chemistry between Seacrest and White as the series transitions under new hosting.
For Season 43, Wheel of Fortune is billing a "Year of Fun!" with expanded programming that includes more tournaments, larger prizes and additional at-home opportunities to win, the show's producers said. "Ryan brings his charm, warmth and playfulness into his interactions with the contestants and co-host Vanna White, and that has resonated with our viewers," executive producer Bellamie Blackstone said in a press release. "A big part of the success we saw last season can be credited to these many wonderful moments, so we decided to embrace it, and make 'The Year of Fun' the season 43 theme."
The show first premiered in 1975 and has remained a staple of American daytime and syndication television for decades. Industry observers have previously noted that Sajak's steady presence and easy rapport with contestants and White helped cement the series' place in popular culture. Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital that Sajak "embodies everything you would want in a host — calm, charismatic, clean-cut and very likable," and said the pairing of Sajak and White captured a particular era in American viewing habits.
Seacrest's revelation about the wheel is a small, humanizing detail amid broader changes at the show. Producers are seeking to preserve the program’s trademark tone while refreshing elements for contemporary audiences, and the Season 43 rollout centers on generating renewed excitement both in-studio and among viewers at home. The show’s continued blend of familiar ritual and modest production craft — from the wheel’s clicks to the reveal of each puzzle — remains a hallmark of its longevity.