Pat Sajak‘s Wheel of Fortune farewell marked the end of his 43-year run as the show’s host but it also saw the end of his 41-year professional relationship with co-host Vanna White.
Soon after Sajak announced his retirement, Ryan Seacrest was named the new host of the show while Vanna White negotiated a new contract which keeps her on until at least 2026, with recent reports claiming that Vanna might depart early because she allegedly doesn’t “jibe” with Seacrest.
What becomes of White and Seacrest’s hosting relationship has yet to be seen but one thing’s for sure: It won’t compare to her relationship with Pat Sajak. With Seacrest, the relationship isn’t being built to last, considering she is in her final two to four years on the show. It certainly could become a rather unique on-air relationship, however.
In April 2024, Seacrest invited Vanna White on an episode of American Idol and the two reportedly got along just fine. White praised his professionalism and his kindness while Seacrest felt he was lucky to have her stay on as the co-host.
Seacrest stated during her appearance that he was excited to work with her, referring to Vanna as “a national treasure.”
At the time, things seemed fine —and perhaps they still are — but a source close to Vanna White recently told the UK Daily Mail that Vanna is having difficulty with Pat Sajak not being there since it’s what she’s used to.
It’s worth noting that Vanna was allegedly unhappy with producers when they fairly quickly named Ryan Seacrest as the new host because they didn’t make Vanna a part of that decision. Thus, the co-host had no say in who the new host should be nor was given a shot at being the host herself.
Whether or not the two have on-air chemistry remains to be seen, but it won’t match her and Pat Sajak’s 41 years together. Vanna credits the show’s creator Merv Griffin for seeing something in her and Pat and spotting the chemistry between them that made them perfect for a family show.
White also told People magazine she sees Sajak as a brother: “I think that is kind of what it is. Merv Griffin saw that we would be able to get along, I think. We are like a brother and sister team.”
It’s unlikely that there will be a brother/sister feel to her and Seacrest. That doesn’t mean there can’t be something special, though. We don’t often see co-hosts on a game show, so that in itself is still unique. If they don’t hit it off right away, it doesn’t mean that Vanna and Ryan won’t get along, especially considering they respect each other.
Whenever Vanna White decides to retire, however, it’s almost certain that Ryan Seacrest will have a say in who her replacement is and if that new co-host doesn’t “jibe” with Seacrest, it will be interesting to see what happens next.