It was the end of an era for Wheel of Fortune fans this week after Pat Sajak, who has hosted the classic game show since 1981, announced he will retire in 2024 following the show’s next season.
Sajak has been the face of the show for four decades, so it’s hard to imagine the show without him. While Sajak still has another year to go, speculation immediately began about who will be his replacement.
For many fans, the choice is obvious: Vanna White, who has served as co-host and letter turner since 1982. Despite the support, however, White’s future with the show is still unclear.
Sajak, 76, announced his retirement in a tweet Monday evening. “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all,” he wrote.
The following day, Vanna White congratulated her co-star on his upcoming retirement.
“When we started [Wheel of Fortune] who could have imagined we’d still be at it 41 seasons later?” she wrote. “I couldn’t be happier to have shared the stage with you for all these years with one more to come. Cheers to you, [Pat Sajak]!
Shortly after news of Sajak’s retirement broke, many fans started speculating about who would be the new host… and most threw their support behind Vanna White.
She is certainly the most experienced option: besides having been on the show almost as long as Pat Sajak, she stepped in for hosting duties in 2019 while Sajak was recovering from surgery. Pat’s daughter Maggie took over White’s role as the letter spinner.
Despite the widespread support for White, she’s far from a guarantee. A source told Daily Mail that while White would jump at the chance to host, she also fears she could be let go from the show in 2024.
“The next year is going to be quite the ride and Vanna wants to be a part of it all even after he leaves, and she hopes they don’t force her out,” a source close to White told the outlet on Tuesday.
“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.”
White’s contract is up in 2024, so it’s still unclear whether Wheel will promote her to full-time host or decide to get some new faces in instead.
While fans appear to be widely behind White, there are several other contenders said to be in the running, including Maggie Sajak and Ryan Seacrest. Whoopi Goldberg also expressed interest in the job, though it’s not clear if she’s actually being considered.
Whatever the future holds for Vanna White and Wheel of Fortune, it’s the end of an era as fans say goodbye to TV’s longest-serving game show host. Last year, White said the thought of leaving the show, or hosting without Sajak, made her said, saying she was still loving her job four decades later.
“I don’t even want to think about that. I mean, we’re a team,” she told People in December. “That’s depressing. I don’t even want to think about it.”
“I can’t imagine. Everybody relates Wheel of Fortune to Pat and Vanna. We’re like Ken and Barbie, you know?” she said. “We’ve been in everybody’s homes for 40 years, so it would be weird having somebody else turn my letters.”
We would love to see Vanna White take over hosting duties — she’s just as iconic a part of Wheel of Fortune has Pat Sajak.
Who do you think should take over Wheel of Fortune? Share this story and let us know your thoughts!
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- Vanna White calls it ‘depressing’ to think about leaving ‘Wheel of Fortune’ after 40 years of cohosting with Pat Sajak
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