Lauren Sarner
Ahead of Pat Sajak’s retirement from “Wheel of Fortune,” Vanna White has revealed her own future plans on the show.
“I don’t know. When I heard that Pat was retiring, I thought maybe I should retire, too. But I’m not ready!” she told TV Insider.
White, 67, has been on the show since 1982. She signed a contract extension to stay on the game show through the 2025-2026 season, so, ostensibly, she’ll be there alongside Ryan Seacrest, 49, when he takes over for Sajak in the fall.
But, she added, “We’ll see toward the end of those two years how I feel. I thank God after all these years that I still love my job.”
White added, “I can’t describe how I feel. I feel happy for him. I can’t imagine doing the show without him after 41 years. I sum it up as [like] reading a good book. It always has to end. This has been the best book I’ve ever read.”
Sajak, 77, who has been with the show since 1981, announced his retirement in June 2023.
“Well, the time has come,” he tweeted, stating that he’ll depart after the currently airing season of the beloved NBC show.
“I’ve decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last.”
He added, “It’s been a wonderful ride, and I’ll have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all. (If nothing else, it’ll keep the clickbait sites busy!)”
“I never would have thought that this would turn into a 40-plus-year job,” White said. “I’m happy that I am myself [on the show]. I don’t play a character. I am who I am. It’s a fun show that everybody of all ages enjoys. We give money away!”
White also gave credit to Sajak for helping her get through her first day when she was nervous to start the job.
“[He said], ‘Calm down, it’s going to be OK.’ I was just a little old girl from North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, wanting to be on TV from the time I was 10,” she said.
Sajak has earned a reputation for often being snarky and brutally honest with contestants. Despite his less-than-cuddly demeanor, White praised him for making her “feel comfortable” in front of a camera.
“He was my teacher,” she added.
She added that she has a hard time conceptualizing the show without Sajak.
“I can’t imagine. Everybody relates ‘Wheel of Fortune’ to Pat and Vanna. We’re like Ken and Barbie, you know?” she said.
Sajak’s final episode of “Wheel of Fortune” will air June 7.
This post was originally posted by NYPost
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