Pat Sajak and Vanna White’s names have been synonymous with Wheel of Fortune for over 40 years now, but more than that, the co-hosts of America’s favorite game show have been synonymous with each other. So it was no surprise that when Sajak announced in June that he was retiring at the end of the current season, there were many questions about what the future held for White. The famed letter-turner will be back when Ryan Seacrest takes over next September, but she’s now admitting that she thought about leaving Wheel of Fortune too.
Vanna White recently reached a deal with Sony Television to remain the co-host of the iconic game show at least through the 2025-2026 season. That gives her a minimum two years standing on the stage without Pat Sajak — something that she told People was unfathomable to her at first, as she revealed that it crossed her mind to retire alongside him. White said:
Of course it’s a thought. It’s like, ‘Well, wait, if you’re leaving, what am I going to do? How can I stay without you?’ It was a very hard decision for me to make, because it definitely crossed my mind. It’s like, ‘I just don’t know if I can do this without you,’ but I thought about it and I’m not ready to retire, so I am staying on.
Pat Sajak and Vanna White have been a package deal for four decades, and she’s even referred to him as her “TV husband.” I’d imagine there were some pretty strong emotions involved in what it would mean for them to all of a sudden be on different paths after all this time. In the end, White simply wasn’t ready to move on, so they each did what was best for them.
The current host, however, possibly got a taste of what’s to come for his work wife recently, as he seemed a little lost when Vanna White was missing from some Wheel of Fortune episodes following a positive COVID test. “I can’t even find my mark without her!” he told the audience.
The producers at Wheel of Fortune made it clear from the start that they wanted Vanna White to stay on after Pat Sajak’s retirement, but securing their longtime co-host wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. White lawyered up for contract negotiations, as she reportedly hadn’t received a traditional pay raise in over a decade, despite allegedly making just one-fifth of Sajak’s salary.
The two parties seemed to hit a stalemate, with producers reportedly balking at her terms, which sources said made Vanna White feel like they thought she was replaceable. Shortly after Pat Sajak’s farewell season premiered, however, an agreement was made, allowing White and the rest of us to turn our focus back to Sajak for his farewell season.
Check your local listings to see when Wheel of Fortune airs in your area, and be sure to also take a look at our 2023 TV schedule to see what shows are premiering soon.