Pat Sajak has hosted Wheel of Fortune since 1981. That’s thousands and thousands of episodes. It takes a lot for him to be surprised by an answer, but that happened this week with a contestant’s endearingly terrible solve.
During a Triple Toss-Up in Tuesday’s episode, the category was Show Biz and the board read “TH_ _RITI_S _GR_E.” Contestant Gishma Tabari, who according to TV Insider “revealed she had a Disney-themed bridal shower earlier in the episode,” attempted to solve the puzzle. “THE BRITISH OGRE,” she said. Her guess caught Sajak by surprise. “Say it again,” he said, as if to give her time to reconsider things. Nope: “THE BRITISH OGRE.” That was not the answer, because that’s not a thing (a Scottish ogre, on the other hand…).
Eventually, fellow contestant Lora Stamps, a nurse from Magnolia, Arkansas, jumped in and gave the correct answer, “The Critics Agree,” leaving Tabari embarrassed.
It worked out fine for Tabari, who “managed to rake in $15,853 and even won a cruise trip,” according to Page Six. Plus, now she’s a fan favorite. “This girl guessed ‘The British Ogre’ on wheel of fortune and the second hand embarrassment was overwhelming. She wouldn’t even look at the camera for a sec. I feel bad but man that sh*t was funny,” one viewer wrote on X, while another added, “OK, the puzzle was clearly THE CRITICS AGREE but to be honest I prefer THE BRITISH OGRE because the puzzles could use some more wacky originality sometimes..”
The British Ogre?
#wheeloffortune pic.twitter.com/RLatLGJ9wL
— AC (@ACinPhilly) December 13, 2023
The British Ogre?
#wheeloffortune
— cierra bell (@cierrabellz) December 13, 2023
“THE BRITISH OGRE” was an actual guess pic.twitter.com/0LSF0sLbTZ
— Matt Busche (@mrbusche) December 13, 2023
The British Ogre sounds like a cool band name. #WheelofFortune
— ᴊᴇʀᴇᴍʏ ᴊᴀᴍᴍ (@NaskarrKid) December 13, 2023
“Oi, you best be off my swamp, mate, before I get properly cheesed off!” -The British Ogre #wheeloffortune
— Emily (@iamem89) December 13, 2023
This woman just guessed this puzzle as The British Ogre
dying laughing
so many British Ogres in show biz #WheelofFortune pic.twitter.com/2ooImWepDn
— CoL* (@littleruk) December 13, 2023
How about that British Ogre?
that has to be the worst guess ever.
— Leslie Davis (@leslie_davis21) December 13, 2023
(Via TV Insider)