As Vanna White gears up for another season of Wheel of Fortune, the legendary game show hostess is reflecting on the past 41 years with Pat Sajak, who is taking his final run on the iconic show.
White told Good Morning America, “I think of Pat as family and always will.”
“We called ourselves Ken and Barbie,” she added. “I mean, we’re not quite that today. But Ken and Barbie go together and always have. Peanut butter and jelly go together. Pat and Vanna go together.”
In June, Sajak announced that the 41st season of Wheel will be his last. He’s been the host of the game show since 1981.
Shortly after the news of his retirement, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest will replace him.
“When Pat told me he was going to retire, it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh. I’m not sure that I’m ready to retire,'” said White, who, since 1982, has been operating the board on the show and revealing letters as they are guessed by contestants. “So, when I thought about it … I just wasn’t ready to retire.”
When asked why this time wasn’t the right time for her to step away from the game show, White said, “I love my job. I love being here.”
She added that if she did step away, she would miss the show, which includes contestants like her all-time favorite, 92-year-old Liz Wright, who recently took home $65,000 with her son KC after solving the puzzle: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
White’s Wheel of Fortune contract was extended through the 2025-2026 season.
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