"Wheel of Fortune" Contestant Gets Engaged on Set After Solving 'Will You Marry Me?' Puzzle: 'I'm Still in Shock'
Becca Longmire
January 10, 2025 at 11:37 AM
One Wheel of Fortune contestant got a very special surprise on the show this week.
On Thursday, Jan. 9, amid the show's ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations, hosts Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White announced that their team had helped the boyfriend of contestant Rhea Mathew pop the question!
"We're celebrating milestones in honor of our 50th anniversary and actually had one happen earlier in the week right here on the set," Seacrest said in a clip shared on YouTube.
"Robin, the boyfriend of former contestant Rhea, reached out for our help in asking her a big question," White added, explaining that along with announcer Jim Thornton, they "created a bit of a ruse, making Rhea think she was back to celebrate Wheel's 50th."
"But take a look and see what happened," she continued about former contestant Rhea, who previously appeared on the show in October 2023.
In the clip, Rhea successfully solved the puzzle, "Will You Marry Me?" as announcer Thornton said, "Nicely done."
Rhea's boyfriend Robin then walked onto the set, as the contestant looked surprised before he got down on one knee and asked, "Rhea Susan Mathew, will you marry me?" as she nodded in shock.
The clip then cut to White and Seacrest, with the latter saying, "I think she was really surprised."
White responded, "Yes that was so heart-warming," as Seacrest said, "Very sweet. I love that we can do that on this show," while White teased, "You never know what's going to happen around here."
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The show also relived the special moment on its Instagram page, writing alongside a clip, "Screaming, crying, losing our minds over this sweet Wheel proposal! 😭 #proposalvideo #wheeloffortune."
Rhea commented on the post, "AHHH thank you thank you thank you for making this into a reality!!! 🥹🥹🥹 beyond even my wildest of dreams!!"
On Thursday, Rhea also shared a snap of the newlyweds-to-be posing in front of the "Will You Marry Me?" puzzle on set on Instagram, alongside the caption, "@everyone !!! We have been nearly BURSTING with excitement to share the details of our proposal!!"
"Tune in to @wheeloffortune TONIGHT on ABC to catch @rkuriakose put my jaw on the floor doing the sweetest, most elaborate thing anyone has ever done for me 🥹😭♥️💍," Rhea added.
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Former Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak's daughter Maggie Sajak, who is the show's social correspondent, also chatted to Rhea in a clip shared on her Instagram page.
"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.
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"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! ✨"
As Sajak then chatted to Rhea after her boyfriend popped the question, the contestant said, "I'm still in shock," as Robin thanked the team for helping them pull off such a surprise.
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