‘Wheel of Fortune’: Vanna White Reveals Why She’s Not Ready to Retire
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Wheel of Fortune may be gearing up for Pat Sajak‘s exit, but Vanna White is sticking around for the foreseeable future and there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation why.
“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,'” White said in an interview with Good Morning America on Friday (November 17).”So, when I thought about it and thought about it… and I just wasn’t ready to retire.”
“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. … I love my job. I love being here.”@TheVannaWhite talks about her last season of @WheelofFortune with Pat Sajak and staying on the show. https://t.co/2wp8RJOsgO pic.twitter.com/nrcWFJ7y9K
— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 17, 2023
As for the journey so far, White revealed, “It’s hard to believe it’s been 41 years,” in her role as letter-turner and co-host. “I think of Pat as family and always will.”
(Credit: ABC/Ricky Middlesworth)
Reflecting on her years with the show, White joked of her and Sajak, “We called ourselves Ken and Barbie… 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.”
Of course, they won’t be able to stick together on air once Sajak does step back from hosting duties, but White will be joined by a charasmatic TV favorite as Ryan Seacrest is poised to step into the coveted role.
Sajak announced in June of 2023 that Season 41 of Wheel of Fortune would be his last after hosting the show since 1981. White is set to continue in her existing role with Seacrest aiming to seamlessly fill in Sajak’s spot. White signed a contract extension through 2026 after negotiations over her salary were settled earlier this year.
And while the time to step back is right for Sajak, that doesn’t mean it’s right for White. “I love my job. I love being here,” she said of working on Wheel of Fortune. And so, she’ll be sticking around because retirement just isn’t in the cards right now. So fans can rest assured that White’s not leaving anytime soon.
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