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A Wheel of Fortune contestant got a very sweet surprise from her partner on the show.
Contestant Rhea Matthew solved what she thought was a normal word puzzle during a recent episode of the game show, hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White. However, White and Seacret noted that before the segment, they’d gotten in touch with Rhea’s partner, who’d wanted to propose to her.
“Robin, the boyfriend of former contestant Rhea, reached out for our help in asking her a big question,” said White in a video posted to YouTube on January 9. “With [announcer] Jim, we created a bit of ruse, making Rhea think she was back to celebrate Wheel‘s 50th.”
Rhea, who returned to the show after appearing on it in October 2023, then solved a puzzle that spelled out the phrase: “Will You Marry Me?”
Her then-boyfriend walked onto the stage and shocked her.
As her hand covered her mouth in shock, Rhea said yes to Robin’s proposal, and the couple shared a sweet kiss.
The video cut back to the Wheel of Fortune hosts reflecting on the memorable moment. “I think she was really surprised,” Seacrest said. White agreed, calling the proposal “so heartwarming.”
“I love that we can do that on this show,” Seacrest continued. His co-host added: “Yes, you never know what’s going to happen around here.”
On January 9, Maggie Sajak – the daughter of former Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak — shared a video on Instagram of her interview with Rhea from before the segment. “Rhea [thinks] she’s here for puzzle redemption, but little does she know… she’s here to get engaged!” Sajak wrote alongside a ring and a shushing face emoji.
“I actually brought someone very special with me today. I brought my boyfriend Robin, he’s one of my biggest supporters, so I’m really excited to share this magic with him,” Rhea said in the clip, unaware of what was about to happen.
Sajak then shared a behind-the-scenes peek at the proposal, adding in the caption, “A proposal on set?! 2025 is off to a magical start! ✨”
After the proposal, Rhea told Sajak: “The most elaborate proposal ever. I cannot even imagine. I’m still in shock.”
Wheel of Fortune is known for producing viral moments. In November, contestant Will Jordan turned heads for his hilariously incorrect answer. Jordan was asked to guess a popular six-word phrase as the board read: “_ _ _E _OURSEL_F A ROUN_ OF _A___AUSE.
The answer was, “Give yourself a round of applause,” but Jordan exclaimed: “Treat yourself a round of sausage.”
When Kitina swooped in to say the correct answer, Seacrest couldn’t help but tease Will over the error, which stunned the audience into silence. “Will, I kind of liked yours better,” he said. “That sounds better than just clapping right now.”
