The end of an era. Pat Sajak has officially retired as the host of Wheel of Fortune after 41 Seasons. But hat does this mean for Vanna White? Is Vanna White leaving Wheel of Fortune too? Well, she’s responded to the curiosity, and her answer could surprise you.
Related Story
FBI Cast Weighs In on a Possible Workplace Romance Between *These* Two Characters
Wheel of Fortune is ABC’s popular game show that’s been on the air continuously since January 1975. In the hangman-based competition created by Merv Griffin, contestants can spin the giant carnival wheel and call a consonant, buy a vowel for $250 or solve the puzzle. Each contestant is worth the cash value of what the wheel lands on. They can continue spinning the wheel until they miss a letter, spin a bankrupt or lose a turn.
Wheel of Fortune had been hosted Sajak and White since the game show’s debut in 1983. White, a pageant queen whose prior game-show experience was a brief stint on The Price Is Right, wrote into Wheel of Fortune hoping that she could appear as a contestant. “They said, ‘If you’re ever in Los Angeles, you can come in and audition,’” White recalled to Variety in September 2017. “Little did I know I was going to come in and audition for the actual job!” In the audition, White admitted that she was the “most nervous” in her life and could barely talk because she wanted the job so badly.
The show credits White’s arrival for helping the show become the nighttime syndicated version that became so widely successful in the TV market. “I remember them saying 100 million people a week watch our show,” White also told Variety.“It’s like, ‘Whoa, I’ve been in a stadium with 60,000 people, and that’s a lot of people. I guess we have something here.’”
Sajak called the duo a “package deal” for Wheel of Fortune and noted that when they retire – they will do so simultaneously. However, it looks like Sajak made the first move. On June 12, 2023, the host announced that Season 41 ofWheel of Fortunewill officially be his last. “Well, the time has come,” Sajak said in a statement toBloomberg News. “I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all.”
So where does that leave White? Is Vanna White leaving Wheel of Fortune too? Keep reading for what she’s said.
Is Vanna White leaving Wheel of Fortune?
No, White is not leaving Wheel of Fortune —at least not anytime soon. News broke in September 2023 that White had extended her contract for two more years at Wheel of Fortune, which means that she’ll continue to co-host the series at least through the game show’s 2025-2026 season.
White’s new contract came after TMZ reported that White had received a “substantial pay increase” from her $3 million-per-year salary she was making for almost two decades. The site reported that she had not received a raise in 18 years prior to Sajak’s exit announcement. Though TMZ didn’t confirm White’s new pay, the site reported that her lawyer, Brian Freedman,” requested that Sony pay her at least half of what Sajak’s $15 million-per-year salary was, which would’ve given White $7.5 million per year.
White also confirmed her stay on Wheel of Fortune in an interview with People in October 2023, while addressing “rumors” that she was too demanding in her salary negotiations.“It was because people just have rumors,” White said, adding that she considers herself a “strong person” but found the rumors hard to read. “Everything is so blown out of proportion, not just with my stuff, with everybody’s stuff.” She continued, “I’m not going to do anything I don’t want to do or that I don’t believe in. My mother taught me that at a young age and I’m sticking to my guns.”
In her interview with People, White admitted that she considered also leaving Wheel of Fortune when Sajak announced his exit but is “happy” she agreed to stay. “I’m just so happy that I have signed for two more years,” she says. “I have this next year with Pat, and then I have two years after that, so I will be part of Wheel of Fortune, at least through 2026,” she said.
She also revealed the advice she would give to other women who may be in the same position she was in with Wheel of Fortune.“I would tell them to follow your heart and really don’t do anything you don’t want to do,” she said. “Don’t let anybody talk you into doing anything you don’t want to do. You have that instinct inside you, we all do. You listen to that instinct inside of you. It never is wrong.”
What is Vanna White’s salary for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune?
In July 2023, news also broke that White had renegotiated her salary for Celebrity Wheel of Fortune,according to our sister site Deadline. Sources said that the new deal came with a substantial salary increase, after many reports that White was making significantly less than Sajak. TMZ learned thatWhite’s lawyers allegedly negotiated up to $100k per episode for CelebrityWheel of Fortune.
When American Idol host Ryan Seacrest was named as Sajak’s successor on July 27, 2023, he alluded to White’s return toWheel of Fortunein his statement.
View this post on Instagram
Toward the end of his statement, Seacrest said that he’s excited to work alongside Vanna White when he joins in Season 42. “I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White.”
Prior to her new contract, Puck News reported on June 23, 2023, that some executives at Sony TV suggested “eliminating” Vanna White’s role because it might no longer be necessary if the show replaces Sajak with an established name, such as Ryan Seacrest or these other high-profile contenders.
The alleged conversations occurred during negotiations for White to return to the show beyond the upcoming season. Puck Newsalso confirmed that White’s prior salary was about $3 million annually, which was allegedly five times less than what Sajak makes.
Before she confirmed her stay on Wheel of Fortune, insider revealed to The Daily Mail in June 2023 that “’Vanna doesn’t want to leave Wheel of Fortune even after Pat’s announcement of retirement and she would highly consider taking over his role as host on the show.” Additionally, the source said that Vanna allegedly hoped that “they don’t force her out.” “Vanna is in it for the long haul. If she doesn’t take over Pat’s job when he is done, she would like to be a part of the selection process for Pat’s replacement because if it is up to her, she is in it forever,” the source said.
White reacted to Sajak’s exit and paid tribute to their decades of hostingWheel of Fortunetogether after his exit announcement in June 2023. “When we started @WheelofFortune who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later? I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you, @patsajak!,” she wrote on Twitter on June 13, 2023.
When we started @WheelofFortune who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later? I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you, @patsajak! https://t.co/yYmo3G0Dtb
— Vanna White (@TheVannaWhite) June 13, 2023
Before his official exit,Sajak hinted that his time on Wheel could be coming to an end soon in an interview withEntertainment Tonightin September 2022. “Years go by fast. We’re getting near the end. It’s been a long [time]. We’re not going to do this for another 40 years. The end is near,” he told the site.
Meanwhile, White gave the opposite reaction of her counterpart. “I just visualize us just being there. I can’t think beyond that… I can’t imagine. Everybody relates Wheel of Fortune to Pat and Vanna. We’re like Ken and Barbie, you know?” she toldPeoplein December 2022.“We’ve been in everybody’s homes for 40 years, so it would be weird having somebody else turn my letters,” she said.
Is Vanna White replacing Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune?
No, Vanna White is not replacing Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune. Ryan Seacrest was named the new host after Sajak’s retirement. “I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them,” the longtimeAmerican Idolhost wrote inan Instagramstatement on June 27, 2023.
Although Seacrest was chosen to take over — back when Sajak announced his retirement — fans overwhelmingly took to social media to request that White fully take over the program. “With the news of Pat Sajak retiring, I’d like to formally begin the campaign of getting Vanna White to take over Wheel of Fortune,” wrote Esquire journalist Justin Kirkland.
With the news of Pat Sajak retiring, I’d like to formally begin the campaign of getting Vanna White to take over Wheel of Fortune. https://t.co/Sebb2pIhFj
— Justin Kirkland (@justinkirkland4) June 12, 2023
In December 2019, when Sajak had to get emergency surgery, White was asked last minute to take over his hosting duties for three weeks. When asked by Esquire if she ever thought about hosting before, she responded: “No. No. It’s just out of my realm. I never even thought of that. It just kind of happened, and I didn’t have enough time to think about it.”
White also said at the time that she was not looking to take over Pat’s position. “I like my puzzle board, I want to stay at my puzzle board. And there’s no competition either. It’s Pat’s job, and I’m filling in for him. I’m not looking to take his position.”
VANNA WHITE FOR WHEEL OF FORTUNE HOST 2024
— Amanda (AJ) Stewart WEAR (@AmandaJWEAR) June 13, 2023
Despite White’s hosting reservations four years ago, fans were convinced that she’ll make the perfect replacement for her Wheel of Fortunecostar. “With Pat Sajak retiring, the ONLY smart thing is to make VANNA WHITE the new host of WHEEL OF FORTUNE! She’s already proven herself as a substitute host, everybody loves her and she can provide smooth, unbroken continuity,” one user posted on Twitter.
For more on primetime shows, check out our photo gallery on thebest nighttime soaps ranked.
