The Heartfelt Message Vanna White Has for Pat Sajak After Retirement Announcement

Vanna White and Pat Sajak Patrick Lewis/Starpix/Shutterstock

Vanna White shared her thoughts on Pat Sajak's retirement announcement from their long-standing cohosting gig on Wheel of Fortune. In a tweet on June 13th, the former pageant queen, now 66 years old, expressed her joy in having been a part of the show with Sajak for 41 seasons. She quoted Sajak's original announcement tweet and wished him well, giving a nod to their continued partnership for one more season. White also congratulated Sajak on his impressive 40-year tenure with the show.

On June 12, Sajak, aged 76, announced via Twitter that he will be retiring after the 41st season, which starts in September. As he bids farewell to his long and successful career, he expressed his gratitude to his supporters and promised to share more in the coming months. Sajak and White have been close friends for 38 years since they both joined the show in 1981 and 1982, respectively. White describes Sajak as a brother and says they share a deep connection that allows them to finish each other's sentences.

Sajak expressed his admiration for the synergy he shares with the author of Vanna Speaks during a talk at the Paley Center for Media in New York City in 2017. He conveyed his belief that working with anyone else would be unimaginable for him.

Though Sajak has spoken highly of White, he has not always held the same opinion. During a 2020 interview on CBS Sunday Morning, he revealed that he had not recommended White after witnessing her audition in 1982.

White's nervousness was not lost on Sajak, who acknowledged her as lovely, wonderful and personable. However, out of all the potential candidates, she was the most anxious. Despite Sajak's initial concerns, White ultimately landed the job. Little did she know, the show would go on to have a long and successful run.

White has not commented on the possibility of taking over for Sajak, but has expressed her love for the show and its fans.

According to a Twitter user, Vanna White would be the most sensible choice to replace Pat Sajak as the new host of Wheel of Fortune. As a trusted substitute host, beloved by viewers and able to seamlessly maintain the show's flow, White has already demonstrated her ability to lead the program. In fact, White stepped in as host in November 2019 when Sajak was forced to undergo emergency surgery due to a blocked intestine.

White expressed a mix of nerves and excitement when given the opportunity to fill in for Pat while he was away, as he revealed exclusively to We in December 2019. Hosting the show had never even crossed his mind before, but he was happy to step in and help the team since he was familiar with the show after all these years.